Mating Call
by YoungestCullen8
Summary: Sequel to His Wolf. Kaden's wolf has decided she needs a mate and it decides on an unlikely source: Ben. Can the two put aside their differences to follow the call? R&R
1. Chapter 1

**Author's** **Note:** This is the sequel to His Wolf and it is told in Kaden's point of view.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own these characters. The only character I own in Kaden.

I walked bleary eyed to the coffee pot, staring out over the land that had become my home. Contrary to popular belief, living next to a river isn't all that fun. In the summer it gets a little humid from the water coming out of the bed and then in the winter it gets so cold you wish it would turn to summer. But when summer comes around as it always does you wish it would turn to winter. There was nothing really that could appease a person. There was barely any fall or spring because the seasons could change dramatically.

Today was one of the extreme days.

I had gone to bed when the weather was at least decent. I was nice and warm in my bed so I thought it would be decent when I woke up. No such luck. I got up and put my feet on the floor just to have them nearly freeze off. I inhaled sharply and would have pulled my feet back up but I had to get up and go to work. I thought about getting a shower but then decided it would be best if I let that go. My hair was long enough that it would take forever to blow dry it. I'd shower when I got home.

I threw on a pair of scrubs and headed to the kitchen. The coffee was on and that made me really happy. Outside a car roared to life. Sam had decided to go out and warm the car since the temperature dropped thirty degrees in twelve hours. Our coats wouldn't keep a normal person warm but we were completely different than normal people.

The door opened, bringing in a harsh cold wind. I shivered as I glared at the door. Sam closed the door as fast as he could then looked at me. Sam Cornick was handsome in the least bit but he had this calm personality that someone was instantly drawn to. He also had this ability to care for someone with such abandon it made him a superman.

"Morning, Superman." I said with my groggy voice he was so used to by now.

"Morning, Kay Tay." He replied with a cheeky grin when I gave him a deadpan face. It was a name I hated but that didn't stop him. He used it every morning when we were getting ready for work.

He poured coffee into a thermos and quickly screwed the lid on before going over and getting our coats. "Still griping about weather in the northwest?"

I took my coat from him and slid it on. I didn't need it but I had to keep up the ruse. "The weather in New Orleans is usually warm but Shreveport can be iffy. It's never like this though." I replied.

Let me tell you what I am and where I'm from then you'll understand the entire ruse bit.

I was born in the year 800 AD in what is now Germany. I grew up along the Rhine with my three brothers Rowan, Lucien and Daynen. When I was twenty-six, my village was attacked by werewolves. Me and my brothers were the only survivors and the only reason for that was because we had been changed. We were found by a vampire and raised to treat humans with respect.

We lived in harmony for eight hundred years. Around us, new nations formed and old nations fell. Nations expanded their borders and many lost those expansions due to invasion or rebellion. We watched in the shadows, sometimes helping when asked.

I lost all three of my brothers in the Napoleonic wars, leaving me alone. I returned to my vampire friend in Ireland and grieved alone there. I had nothing else to do so I stayed with them for a few years. Deciding to leave in 1827, I ventured back to my homeland where I resided until the great wars broke out.

I took refuge in Russia during WWI, making Siberia my home. I can thrive in cold environments so I lived with the huskies and malamutes for a while. When the Great Depression hit I decided it would be better for me to go to Iceland for a bit. Don't ask me why. It was a random decision.

I was in Germany when WWII broke out. I couldn't leave without being considered a Jew so I stayed in the shadows until the concentration camps went into effect. I know you've heard of many rebellions in the concentration camps that were started by the prisoners. I'm telling you some that is true and some of that is fiction. I started most of those rebellions. I would sneak into the camps when the guards weren't paying attention and rile the prisoners. I know some of them got killed but in the end they were liberated.

While in one concentration camp in Germany, I ran into the vampires I had lived with when I was still a whelp (werewolf term for young one). After I made sure all the camps were liberated, I went with them for a decade.

The Cold War years were all a blur. The only thing I remember is I met my current Alpha in Dallas where he was training to go into Vietnam. He didn't remember me but that was my secret to tell.

After the Cold War, I grew restless and travelled all over the world. That happens when I get restless. I travel. In all actuality, I was a lone wolf and that is illegal in the world of werewolves. The thing is I ran under the radar so that no one would bother me. I had never wanted another pack after my brothers had been killed so I never petitioned to join one.

A year ago that all changed.

After a brutal attack on my vampire brother, I was asked to leave my home in Shreveport to make a home in Washington as part of the Columbia Basin Pack. I agreed, because if I hadn't there was no way I would have been going, and travelled to Washington. There were three main reasons why my brother asked me to go.

1.) He was scared I'd get attacked again and that he couldn't stop himself. He and I were basically raised together in our new lives and were fiercely loyal to each other, almost to the point of death.

2.) The Alpha of all Alphas found out I had been a lone wolf for the last two hundred years and decide I needed a pack. Packs help wolves belong to a group when otherwise they are ostracized.

And 3.) I am very old, even older than the head Alpha that we found out who was born in the same year as my vampire brother. The older a werewolf gets, the harder it is for he or she to control the wolf. The only ways to control the wolf are by having a pack and finding a mate. I had never felt the call to find a mate until I went to Shreveport. Then that call became a demand.

I was initiated into the pack as soon as I got here and told I was to live with Sam. I didn't argue with my Alpha who was very nice to me and had been since we flew on the same plane on the way home. We had talked and I refused to say anything about meeting him back in the fifties.

So here I am, literally chilling myself to the bone with the way the weather changes.

Sam grabbed his thermos and waited for me as I zipped my coat and grabbed my coffee. He shut off the lights as I walked out the door and then locked the deadbolt behind him. It was still dark out as we walked through the wind to the car he had running. I was lucky that Sam and I worked at the same hospital. He was a doctor while I was just a nurse. We had the same schedule so it made it easier to carpool.

He pulled out of the drive way and onto the road. He drove from Finley towards Kennewick where we worked. The music he was listening to was not to my taste but he drove so I sat back and was quiet. Besides, he could have been mean and turned the heat off or made me walk so I wasn't complaining. We drove past Mercy's shop, where he laid on the horn to make sure she knew we were going by. Mercy was Adam's mate and had become my friend quickly. She was the only one besides Sam who saw the tiredness in my eyes. I think. There was no way he was going to impose his wolf on me. I was too old for him anyway.

We pulled into the parking lot and walked inside as quickly as we could to get out of the cold. The other nurses shuddered as the wind swirled through the doors. We shed our jackets quickly and hung them in the lounge as we clocked in.

"What time's your shift over?" he asked as I looked at my schedule.

I hung my head. "Seven and the pack meeting is at seven-thirty tonight."

"We'll make it. I'm in surgery until four." He made a face.

"Did you eat before you left?"

"Yep. I had a whole carton of eggs and a pack of bacon. What about you?"

"I'm not worried. I don't have surgery today." I put my page back on the wall. "Not too happy about that."

"At least you're in the kids' ward today."

I nodded as we walked out to the nurses' station. I pulled up the closest patient file and read over it. "I'll be out of here by six forty-five."

"I'll see you then."

"Bye." I heard the other nurses near me whisper and snicker, none of them knowing I could hear every word they were saying. "What is it now?"

"Is Dr. Cornick your boyfriend by any chance?" Carrie asked as she leaned over the bar.

"No, he's just my roommate."

"You mean to tell me you live in the same house as tall dark and handsome and nothing is going on between the two of you?" I shook my head. "Girl, what have you been doing?"

"It's called working, which is what we all need to do."

I waited until they let the conversation dispersed before I went to work myself. They always asked that question because Sam and I talk like we know what we're talking about. We usually did because we were that old. I usually let that roll off my shoulders but it must have been the cold because it set my teeth to gritting.

I had to spend fourteen hours with these people. I had to survive somehow.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's** **Note:** Just so you know, I made up some of the ages, especially Sam and Bran's. By the research I did, they are both older than 700 years so I gave it two hundred more years. If you find out any different, let me know.

Seven o'clock rolled around and Sam was ready to go. I finished my work and clocked out before anyone could say anything or give me more work to do. He came out with my jacket and helped me slip into it, much to my chagrin. The girls were still making kissy faces as we walked out the door.

Sam gave me an amused grin as I looked over the top of the Mercedes at him. I shook my head to get him to shut up but he only barked in laughter.

We rode in silence back to our house and parked the car in our driveway. Ever since I'd joined the pack and started living with Sam as well as working with him, whenever there was a pack meeting, we came home from work to park the car then we walked across the back yard to Adam's. Mercy had lived with Sam before I did so I just moved into her room when she moved in with Adam after they got married. It was interesting having the Hauptmans as neighbors but convenient as well.

We hopped the fence easily and strode casually across the yard. Usually everyone uses the front door but since we always came from across the yard, we go in through the kitchen. It always helped that Adam had food waiting when we came in.

Normally the house is dark but tonight it was lit up like a Christmas tree. Everyone was sitting somewhere comfortable. I was grabbing a drink as Sam ventured into the living room where the pack was sitting. I walked under the landing and into the living room. When I came into sight, every wolf bowed their head. I figured it was because most of the time I came in with Sam. Once I came in without Sam and noticed they did the same thing. Adam told me it was out of respect since I was the oldest werewolf they knew. That made me feel exhilarated yet sad as well. Now when I walk into the meeting, I'm used to it.

I looked to Adam. He inclined his head to me out of respect. I did the same. Although I was seventeen times his senior, I had no choice but to bow to him. He was my Alpha but he didn't treat me as a subordinate. My age gave me more power over the others even if I was low on the chain.

I plopped myself down next to Mercy and passed her a cookie I had stolen from Adam's secret stash. She smiled at me and took it, munching happily. We watched as Adam stood to his full height and commanded the room.

"The full moon is in two weeks. I suspect everyone has gotten those couple of nights off." He said. It really wasn't a question though he sort of asked it as one.

"Why do you ask that every month?" Warren asked with a laugh in his voice. He would never outright defy Adam; he just liked to mess with him.

"You know why. Every moon is completely different to the wolf. The strongest is always the weakest." He looked at me when he said that. He could sense my wolf close to the top. I had good control over my wolf, excellent control more so than anyone else.

"Who do we have to worry about?" Darryl asked.

I nudged Mercy in the side and made a hand motion that made her laugh. Darryl's eyes cut to me instantly and I stared back. He wasn't going to tangle with me while Mercy was sitting next to me.

Adam cleared his throat, garnering our attention once again. Mercy nudged me as she tried to quell her laughter. "We will head out to the woods at sunset since darkness comes on later now. Everyone is to meet here at dusk."

"Will we be adding anymore new members?" Auriele, Darryl's mate, asked. She refused to look across the room but I knew she was talking to me. I was older than she was and more dominant and she hated that. She shouldn't; she took her place in the pack where Darryl was, making her second female in command.

Mercy nudged me. "She's just jealous because you get special treatment."

"I heard that." I refrained from laughing as Mercy did the childish thing I had ever seen her do; she stuck her tongue out at her. It was so hard to do but somehow I did.

Suddenly my body lurched so hard it scared the poor woman next to me. Adam was next to us, pushing his mate away from me just in case. For some unknown reason my wolf was surfacing and I couldn't stop it. I gripped the couch arm under my hand so tightly it splintered.

Because he was my Alpha, Adam had the ability to calm my wolf but it wasn't listening. Some outside force was causing this. I had never felt it before but the look of sympathy in Mercy's eyes told me it was something she knew rather well. I looked around the room. The unmated wolves had come forward, including Warren. That was when I knew what was going on.

My wolf had chosen a mate without my knowledge.

It was funny like that. Sometimes the beast within, as Sam liked to call it, chose things for us. He chose when to come out and he chose when he wanted to get angry or restless. This was one of those times. I growled in agitation as I forced the wolf to remain hidden. She wasn't happy about that but it had to be done.

I shoved away from the couch and Adam as I stalked into the living room. What a great time to decide I needed a mate. I knew it would happen sometime but I didn't want it to happen in front of everyone. That was the embarrassing part and I don't get embarrassed.

I decided to raid the refrigerator, which is something I did when I was annoyed. Usually it ended up that I'd eat all the groceries Sam bought and annoy him so much he went out to the 24 hour convenience store just to shut me up. I had a piece of chicken in my mouth when I turned around and nearly collided with a saucer. I followed the bulky hand until I met the face. Adam smiled down at me.

"Sorry about that." I said over a mouth full of chicken.

"Don't be. I knew that power flux the moment I felt it go through the room." He replied, leaning a hip against the counter. He looked younger than his 68 years.

I set the piece of chicken down on the plate and crossed my arms. It was rare that we talked like this in front of the pack. "I don't understand my other half sometimes. She just makes no sense."

"It's been over twelve hundred years. I'm surprised she's never spoken up until now. Bran's spoke up after Charles grew up."

When he said the name Bran, he was referring to the Alpha of all Alphas, or the Marrok. Bran was the one person I had never met that I probably should but I wasn't going to push my luck. In the hierarchy of things, I was at the lowest since I had just come in, but if Bran wanted, he could cement my place in any pack with one word. The problem was I was older than Bran and less likely to listen. While I respected the man, I didn't know him and had sworn no loyalties to him. I could virtually do as I pleased but because I'm a decent sport, I chose to play by his rules for a while.

"What are you thinking?" Adam asked. He didn't have the ability to tell what I was thinking. Too many years spent with vampires had me learning how to keep my face neutral even when I was thinking about doing something dangerous. My brothers used to tell me it was my I'm-about-to-get-in-trouble-face.

I looked at him. "I'm trying to figure out why now."

He shrugged. "Maybe it wanted you to know she's for real now. That you have to settle down."

I blew air into my upper lip as I looked over Adam's shoulder. "I'd lose my place as the third female."

He barked a laugh, which meant he was enjoying attempting to learn my facial expressions. Good luck with that. "You're worried about your position in the pack."

I shook my head. "Not really. I just felt like saying it." I sighed and picked at the chicken on the plate. "I don't want this."

"We rarely want what we don't choose."

"How can I tell which one my wolf picked?"

"You should be able to tell now if your mind is clear."

"Well, screw that. After the day I've had and now the night, I won't be clear for a few days." I made a face that added to my point.

He tilted his head to the side as he tried to figure me out. "You don't act your age."

"I may not act it, but I sure as hell feel it. Being over twelve hundred years old is not fun. The only two who understand are Bran, who is nine hundred and forty-six, and Sam, who is nine hundred and twenty-three."

"How do you know that?"

"Sam talks in his sleep."

He seemed impressed. "I didn't even know that."

"Well every knows now because they're all behind the door listening."

I was suddenly very tired. "If you'll excuse me, I think I'll head back home."

"Do you want me to send someone with you?"

"Seriously, Adam? I'm a werewolf. I think I can handle myself." He nodded his consent after a split second of thought. "Sam, I'm leaving."

The other man stuck his head around the door. "Okay, I'll be home shortly."

I nodded to the Alpha. As I was about to walk out the back door, I turned sharply. I grabbed the chicken off the plate and shoved the remainder in my mouth before Adam could throw it away. I made it out the door in record time, looking back at him as he tried not to smile at me.

I was across the yard in record time, using my speed to vault the fence. When I stepped into the trailer, heat hit me hard. It felt good. So I stripped off my clothes and leapt right into bed, not caring that I was naked. It's ironic that I get too hot while sleeping in clothes because I was already so hot. I wasn't like Sam who had to sleep with fans on him to keep cool.

As I was settling down for a good night's sleep, I kept thinking about my wolf and what she wanted. I had to find who she had chosen because it was going to annoy me until I did. It was someone in Adam's pack. That much I knew. Finding who it was would be harder than trying to find a needle in a haystack. At least the needle had a distinct smell.

Smell. That's how I was going to figure out who he was. I was just going to have to let my sense of smell and touch go berserk for the next few days. With that in mind, I nuzzled my pillow and settled into my bed. Sleep overtook me like a nice song.

It wasn't long before I heard Sam come in. He didn't call to me, which meant he was being considerate for once. I listened for his door to close before I let my hearing go numb.


	3. Chapter 3

I stretched fairly well as I was getting ready for my run. Being a werewolf, I stay in pretty decent shape but I like the adrenaline rush so I run on a daily basis if I have the time.

I ran past Adam's house along the riverfront. I saw him watching through the front windows as I went by. Deciding to be cheeky, I waved to him, noting the tic in his jaw as he shook his head. He really wasn't happy that I decided to run without a male present but I didn't want to wake Sam up. He had enough on his plate at the moment and was sleeping that off back at home. I'd be fine on my own so I refused to tell him I was going running. But he knew so that was the reason he was waiting at the window.

I heard the front door open and the pounding of feet. I turned around once to see Jesse, blue hair and all, came running at me. The cold made her cheeks flush with enough blood to make them red. She was dressed in a tracksuit which meant she had been waiting on me.

I turned around and continued on. She fell into step with me and we ran along the river in silence. The fact that Adam had allowed her to run with me was a testament to the fact that he trusted me enough with his only child. In all actuality Jesse and I spent more time together than I did with any other female besides Mercy. The other woman was her mother/friend; I was just a friend. It didn't matter to me. I couldn't have children anyway, unless I adopted them. That was the curse of a female werewolf. We were sterile.

Jesse slipped and I automatically grabbed her upper arm to keep her steady. She laughed then smiled up at me. I shook my head, trying to quell the urge to send her back. She wouldn't listen anyway so there wasn't a point to waste my breath. This was a severe case of like father, like daughter.

I stopped when we came to the turn off to Mercy's shop and sat down heavily on the bank. I usually run to clear my head but having Jesse around meant I had to be careful or Adam would lay into me. She was also a catalyst to have my previous thoughts return.

Jesse sat down beside me and let out a happy sigh. I never brought water with me because I didn't usually need it. Now I was wishing I had.

"Dad told me what happened last night.' She said as she watched the water run.

"I can only imagine what he said." I replied. I actually knew what he had said because they were out on the back patio when he told her. Super hearing allowed me to hear them.

"He was really vague, but he said there might be a new mating bond established in the future. I think he was talking about you." I looked over at her but didn't say a word. "Did you wolf finally call?" She was well aware of my predicament and was broaching it carefully.

I looked back at the water. "Yeah, it happened.'

She became excited then. "Who is it?" I shrugged. She let her face drop. "You don't know? How do you not know?"

"It just happened last night and I didn't stay at the house long enough to figure out who it was."

"So?"

"So what?"

"So I would have been kissing every single male until I found him."

I rubbed the back of my neck. "Every one of them would be dead by the time you found him.'

"You're right. Dad would kill them just for that." She cringed at the thoughts that obviously played through her mind. "That's scary." I laughed at the thought as well. If anything, Adam was extremely protective. Then again, what would Gabriel, her current boyfriend, say if he found out about her kissing another guy? That boy was too nice to be hurt.

Laughing at the thoughts that really came to mind, I stood and shook the chill of the water off. Jesse extended her hand for help. I took it and hauled her to her feet. We walked half the way back to the Finley border. When we crossed it, we started running back to the house. After we tapped the side of the adobe, we took a few extra minutes to stretch out the run.

"Jesse." Adam called from the doorway. He was dressed in jeans and a light sweater that his daughter had given him for his birthday. "Come inside."

She turned to from the railing to look at him. "All right. Can Kaden come in as well, Dad?" she asked.

"If she wants to. But I want you inside now."

Without asking if I wanted to, which I always did, Jesse grabbed my hand and led me inside. She suddenly shivered as the warm air of the house hit her cold skin. She turned to me. "Stay here. I'll be right back."

I watched her fly up the stairs to change into warmer clothes and had to laugh at her. She was forever my shadow. "She knows it's cold out. Why did she wear shorts?"

"You were. She follows your lead." He replied as we walked into the kitchen. It was clean which meant Mercy was at work and it smelled like cornbread, and I don't mean the northern type. I mean the good ole southern type. He looked at me over the island he was currently leaning on. "Sam asleep?"

"Yeah, it's his day of considering he has to work Thanksgiving."

"You're more than welcomed to join us for dinner."

"Thanks." I stopped as I heard a car pull out front. I knew the engine. "Ben's here."

"Good. He's bringing the extra turkey for tomorrow.' I laughed and shook my head as the door opened. Ben and turkeys had me laughing. "Hey, Ben."

"Hey, Boss. Brought the extra turkey as you asked." He looked over at me as I sat on the counter between the refrigerator and stove. "Kaden."

"Ben." I replied, giving him a curt nod.

He looked at me for a few moments, seemingly forgetting the turkey and Adam. My wolf lurched. Adam looked at me sharply as I shrunk back on the counter. I liked it better when he was looking at me with a half-lidded gaze that meant he wanted to antagonize me.

Ben looked as if he'd been shot; he was somewhat dazed. I decided I needed to move but the way I did it could have gone better than it did. I slid off the counter too close to Adam because the idiot moved around the island.

Ben snarled viciously, his fingers digging into the turkey.

I stopped where I was and Adam stepped back around the island. Ben took the two steps needed to get to my side and tossed the turkey onto the counter. I stood still to make sure his wolf calmed down enough to be rational.

"Dad? Kaden? Are you in the kitchen?" Jesse's voice filtered to the kitchen as she came through the living room and dining room to us. She was coming right into the middle of the situation.

I jerked Ben past the refrigerator before he attacked the girl and Adam attacked him. Attacking Jesse would only get him toss out faster than he could realize what he was doing. I felt Ben's nose in my hair as I stood in front of him. Adam nodded his approval as Jesse came in and looked between us.

"What's going on?" the seventeen-year-old asked.

'Ben dropped off the extra turkey for tomorrow." Adam replied. "He's getting something to drink at the moment."

"Oh. Kaden, Dad made hot chocolate. I can't drink it all. Care to share with me?"

"Okay," I allowed her to drag me into the living room.

We flopped out on the couch and turned on an old black and white movie. We could have gone into the media room, but that was too close to the kitchen and I wanted Jesse out of there. She was engulfed in the movie, mouth hanging open over her mug. I could hear Adam scolding Ben in the room we just left. I fought my instincts and stayed in my seat. Adam was the Alpha and I had no right to interfere.

Ben was stalking out when he saw me. We looked at each other for a few moments. His shoulders dropped as the anger left him. His face darkened with red before he continued out the door. I heard his truck peel away before I shook my head and turned my attention back to the television.

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I stayed a few more hours at Adam's before heading home. He actually booted me out when I told him his making crackling cornbread for Thanksgiving was stupid and to leave it with the regular stuff. Don't ever tell a werewolf how to cook.

I walked slowly across the yard to let myself think. This was going to be interesting. Luckily Adam was the only one who had been able to sense anything. He wouldn't tell unless I did or asked him to.

I went in through the back door. Sam was sitting at the table with his cup of coffee and a newspaper. He looked up as I was taking off my shoes. He didn't say anything as I slumped down across from him and let my head hit the table.

"Your run went well, I see." He said, letting his eyes go back to his paper.

"Yeah, Jesse joined me.' I replied. I lifted my head when he didn't respond immediately. "Sam, my wolf chose a mate."

He nodded. "I know. I was there."

I shook my head at his stupidity. For a man who had three medical degrees, he really was slow. "Sam, my wolf chose Ben as my mate."


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** Ben is the most unlikely a person for someone to be mated to which is the reason why I chose him. Don't worry. I'm not going to make him a wimpy man. I'm just going to play with what I have been given in the books.

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Sam was looking at me now. His mouth had fallen open and he couldn't find the words to say.

While he was at a loss for words, I jumped up and poured a cup of coffee just to give myself something to do. Saying that out loud didn't lessen the blow of realization for me. My wolf, my second half, had chosen what would have been called rake had we lived in 19th Century England. He had white blond hair and light eyes but his attitude was something to be desired.

Ben had been shipped from London to the Tri-Cities after a series of violent rapes in which he was the primary suspect. He had a habit of offending every woman he came in contact with and really didn't seem to care. I found out from Mercy, who had gotten pretty close to him about two years ago, that he had been abused as a child. Everyone saw him in a different light after that little tidbit came to light.

Since I had met him, I had never treated him as anything other than pack. I was the third most dominant female, coming in behind Mercy and Auriele respectively. He, as well as most of the men, refused to meet my gaze when we talked. I never thought about it, never had the need since Adam had explained it.

My thoughts swirled, so much like the coffee in my mug. I wasn't arguing with my inner animal; I just wasn't wanted to know why she chose Ben. I had learned long ago to trust my animal instincts.

"Are you going to tell me how you figured this out?" Sam asked, successfully bringing me out of my thoughts.

"Ben attacked Adam for standing too close to me." I replied as I sat back down at the table.

His jaw worked convulsively but no words came out. I made a mental note to throw my roommate off more often. His silence was rewarding. He finally caught up with the conversation.

"And he's still alive?"

I snorted in laughter. "He didn't attack him physically. He made his displeasure known though. He would have died if he had gone after Jesse when she came into the kitchen. He thought about it."

"I always knew that man was insane." I didn't reply as I sipped my coffee. Trust Sam to state the obvious. He leaned on his forearms. "What are you going to do?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"There's always a choice."

I smiled faintly. "I'm old, Sam. I don't have the luxury of denying my other half."

"But you don't have to despise your mate just because your wolf decides you need a mate. You don't have to be like my Da and Leah."

What he was referring to was his father. Bran Cornick was not only Sam's father; he was also the Marrok and a good friend to Mercy. Of his entire life, he had two loves: Sam's mother when he was human and his other son Charles' mother Blue Jay Woman. After he lost both, he spent his time raising his werewolf sons. After a while, though his wolf decided he needed a mate. For some reason unknown to those around him, his wolf chose Leah.

That woman was the epitome of bitch and I don't use that term lightly when speaking of werewolf women. She was self-centered and egotistical. I had met her once on an off chance when I had been running around Montana on a whim and she had snarled at me. I would have killed her until I remembered the Marrok's female was named Leah. So I left her alone and left the Big Sky state. I found out later from Mercy that Bran had jumped all over her for being rude to a guest and just plain mean. Needless to say they had gotten into a heated argument with her right there. I remember being told they had separate bedrooms because they absolutely despised each other.

I looked across the table at Sam. He was my best friend and used to his advantage at times. This time he was a little saddened by his father's predicament. When you've been alive as long as we have, you get used to certain emotions. Pain for loss of family and longing are only a couple of them.

Sam was as lonely as I was, but we had each other. Obviously that wasn't enough now. Since my call had gone out, that was going to leave him alone. I knew he wanted a mate and children but that he wasn't going to just settle on any old woman. He had felt that Mercy had been his mate. The only downside of that was she was sixteen and he hadn't truly loved her. When she left, she broke his heart. He had mourned her but he didn't argue when she chose Adam because he knew she truly loved him. That was a testament to his character. He respected her decision but stayed near all time because she was his friend.

I leaned forward and covered his arms with my hands. "You'll find her, Sam. I know you will."

He smiled and maneuvered his hands to cover mine. "So when are you going to accept?"

I leaned back. "By the next full moon hopefully."

"That's two weeks away."

"I know.'

"You're prepared to give yourself, your wolf, to a man you know nothing about?"

"Don't start, Sam.'

"You don't know him."

"Neither do you."

He rubbed his eyes. "I don't want you to do this."

"The call's strong, Sam. I can't possibly ignore it." I was struggling with this now because he was. I really didn't like hurting him.

I stood, downing my coffee and placing the mug in the sink. Having a moment of kindness, I went back to the table and hugged him. He threw his arms around me in a tight reciprocal. This was going to get me in trouble for what I was about to do but I didn't care.

He pulled away. "Be careful."

"I will." I stepped away from the table and to the door. With a look over my shoulder, I walked out.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** The only character I own is Kaden.

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I knocked on the door and waited until he opened the door before I spoke.

He beat me to it. "You smell like Sam."

I shrugged that off as I set my jaw. "We need to talk."

Ben didn't have time to respond as I pushed past him. He was a little slow closing the door. He had obviously been taking a nap because his hair was mussed and sleep filled his eyes. The nap had come in the middle of work because his computer was open and had something in Greek plastered on its screen. That meant I had no clue what it was.

As I looked him in the face, I had a feeling this was a bad idea. I didn't have a chance to change my mind because he blocked the door. I refused a confrontation so I stood still. Finally he relaxed and leaned against the jam.

"What do you want to talk about?" he asked, criticism ebbing in his voice.

I stuffed my hands in my jeans' pockets and rocked back on my heels, eyes half-lidded. "What do you think?"

He shrugged. "I have no clue."

"I think you do. I think you know very well what I wish to discuss with you. I can see it in the way your knuckles are white. Now drop the tough guy act and be considerate." There was no influence in my voice but he wouldn't know that.

His eyes suddenly became liquid as he shoved a hand through his ghost hair. "I don't know."

I dropped my shoulders to show I wasn't angry. "You don't know what?"

"How to do this."

I fought the urge to touch him. That would only confuse him more. "Do you want to do this, Ben?"

He looked up at me, his eyes showing everything his face didn't. "My wolf won't let me back out."

My heart ached. Ben was the last person I ever thought I'd see myself with. He was young and impetuous, but most of all he was jaded and scared. The only female friend had had was Mercy and that was after something happened to her. His childhood held him back from being happy but his attitude didn't help matters either. He barely trusted anyone, and that included Adam. Trust was everything in a mating bond.

I couldn't take it anymore. I crossed the distance between us and took his face in my hands. He looked shocked at first at the soft contact (he'd been waiting on me to hit him) but then he let his cheek rest in my left hand. His eyes warmed at the touch but there was still some reservation in his eyes that I didn't try to figure out. That would take some time to do.

"I won't hurt you, Ben. Every. It's not in my nature." I whispered.

"How can I trust you?" he asked.

"Only you can answer that." I let my hands drop but we still looked at each other. "You're a good man, Ben."

"Not many would agree with you on that."

"I don't really care." He smiled faintly at me. "I'll see you tomorrow."

He let me out the door without an argument. I gave him plenty to think about over night. He also gave me plenty to think about before we could progress. It meant I had to bring old pains to the surface. I would have to be broken once again before he could trust me.

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The next morning I got up with Sam. He was almost normal, except this time he pinched my neck as he walked out. I rolled my eyes as I threw on my jacket and grabbed my bag. He was being stupid in my mind but careful in his. Ever a pup.

I jumped the fence to Adam's and ran to the door that led to his dojo. After my first one hundred years, I decided to travel the world with my brothers so we could learn the various forms of martial arts. We spent time in the Asian countries mastering those forms before anyone noticed we weren't aging. We left and started combining all those different styles into a unique one that had saved my life on many an occasion. When I told Adam, he gave me access to his private dojo. Sometimes he and Mercy both joined me but sometimes it was just him, hence the reason we're so close. Nothing was like beating up the Alpha on fair terms.

He was laying into a punching bag when I strolled into the room. He was mad. I tossed my jacket and bag in the corner as I sat down to stretch. It gave me ample time to watch and figure out why he was so angry. I pressed my heels together and leaned over them to stretch the hamstring but I kept my gaze on Adam. He had switched from high kicks to straight-cross-jab-upper cut combo.

While he was doing that, I slipped out of my jeans and into a pair of work out pants. I hated wearing a _gi_. I never did when I was training professionally anyway so why should I start now. I taped my hands and powdered them. I turned when I heard a loud hyah from Adam. He had ruptured the punching bag with a well placed kick.

"Want to spar with someone who doesn't break as easily?" I asked. He answered by coming at me. I sidestepped his charge and gave his body a gentle push, sending him sprawling on the mat. "Down, Fido. I didn't even say go yet."

"Fido my ass." He responded as he leapt into a fighting stance. I knew he was really mad because he never cussed in front of a woman.

"Bring it on, pup."

He flew at me, punches flying. "I'm your Alpha."

"I'm old enough to be your mother." I landed a solid kick to his abdomen. "You're leaving yourself open. Tighten up." I blocked a kick aimed my head. "You're still sloppy."

I heard him growl as he went on full assault mode. He kept me on my toes when he fought like this. It allowed him to blow off some steam as I goaded him to knock me off my feet and I dodged and blocked. Even till this day, Adam had never been able to take me down. He either tired out or I put him on the floor.

I flipped to get out of his range. His anger was getting the best of him. If he continued like this, I was going to get hurt. When his next punch came for my head, I dodged it and wrapped my arms around his, pulling him over my shoulder. He landed on his back with an oomph! I straddled his hips and held him down by pressing on his arm. He tapped three times to be released but I didn't move.

"Let me up." he said.

"Not until you tell me what's bothering you." I replied.

At first I didn't think he was going to answer, but then took a deep breath and exhaled it angrily. "My ex-wife decided she didn't want Jesse staying here for the school year, much less for the holidays. She told me I was just trying to keep our daughter from her."

I rolled off him and laid on my back staring up at the ceiling. "She has some serious issues." I had never met the woman but she was already on my hit list if I ever did.

"I know. I would never keep Jesse from her mother. I know my daughter and her mother have hard times but Jesse loves Christy. She just doesn't like the way her mother acts." Adam turned his head to look at me. "Do you remember your mother?"

I met his gaze. This wasn't a game of dominance. We were just two friends having a conversation. "I remember her at odd times, like when I'm by a campfire or when I'm running wild in the woods. My homeland was filled with trees that I and my brothers used to run through. She would yell at us for spending so much time in the woods instead of doing chores. I remember her eyes mostly; cool blue with a brown fleck in one."

Adam reached up and touched the corner of my eye. "From what you just described, I think you got her eyes."

"We all did. Well, save Daynen. He had my father's green eyes. We were all blond though."

"I wish I could have met your mother."

"No, you don't. It wasn't worth it. She was sick all the time. After she died when I was ten, my father moved away, leaving the village elder to raise us. We didn't know he was a werewolf until the first full moon when we saw him change. He was the one who changed us when I was twenty-six because he wanted an army." I flipped into a standing position. "It wasn't worth the trouble but for the first time in my life, I'm happy I'm a werewolf."

He reached for my hand. When I extended it, he pulled himself up. I grabbed my bag and together we walked in the house. I could hear Jesse and Gabriel were playing Sorry in the living room as I walked into the bedroom immediately to my left. It had a shower so I didn't trek all the way upstairs to use one of the bigger ones. I was going to clean up before Thanksgiving dinner.

I pulled stuff from my bag, like clean clothes and under garments. I went into the bathroom to start the shower so it could warm up. I peeled my sweaty clothes off and dropped them on the floor beside my bag. Finally getting up the nerve, I stepped into the spray to get cleaned up.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's** **Note:** There will be a little scuffle to happen in a little bit so bear with me if you are looking for a fight. That will show up shortly.

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I was pulling on a light sweater when I heard two cars pull up. I recognized one as Ben's truck. That vehicle made a distinctive sound I could pick it out easily. The other car I couldn't tell who it belonged to because I hadn't been around the cars very long. They were usually here when I walked in. I decided I didn't need any shoes and left the bedroom in slight disarray that I knew would annoy Adam.

When I came into the kitchen, Mercy was flitting about for some reason. The dinner had been made by Adam the night before. I knew because he had kicked me out for making fun of his crackling cornbread. All that really had to be done was it needed to be warmed up. I guess she was just nervous having so many people in her house that she had to cook for.

I heard Ben and Adam in the living room with the voice that belonged to Warren and his date Kyle. All I knew about Kyle was that he was some big hotshot divorce attorney. Mercy said he had a wicked house out in West Richland but I wasn't traveling that far out to see it. I had been to Warren's when Kyle hadn't been home so I knew his smell rather well.

Ben was another story. I knew him inside and out. Well, I knew his smell. He obviously knew mine because when I walked in, he looked directly at me. I was very silent when I walked so he couldn't hear me but he could smell me. I waved at him with a slight smile and his shoulders settled. I didn't think he believed me when I told him I'd be joining them for Thanksgiving dinner.

Warren wasn't my best friend in the pack. My best friend status belonged to Sam, who technically wasn't in the pack, but Warren was a good guy to talk to. He was able to hide all his emotions because he had many years to perfect it. Kyle made it easier to show them but when the human wasn't around, he tended to close up. I was getting pretty good at figuring out his moods. Mercy told me (if you notice I get a lot of my information from Mercy) that when Warren joined the pack, he had a hard time because he was gay. They had found out Warren was more dominant than Darryl, Adam's second. No one would accept him as a second because of his sexual preference so he was content being Adam's third.

I watched as the subtle changes came over the men who were gathered in the living room. They were calm, not trying to act dominant or anything. They were just men on this day. I realized shortly that there were only two of us in this house who wasn't from America. That was me and Ben. I was from ancient Germany and he was from modern day England. We were the foreigners.

"Who are we waiting on?" Mercy asked as she came in the room.

"I think Honey and Peter and Darryl and Auriele." Adam replied.

"Well, there goes the neighborhood." I murmured.

If I haven't mentioned it, Auriele hated me. When I first came into the pack, she had been the one to challenge me to see if I was competent to be part of the pack. It wasn't normal, but it was rare to find a female my age. They wanted to make sure I was sane enough to stay. Adam could have had the final say but he allowed the fight to go on. I really didn't want to fight but I did anyone, wiping the floor with the woman within the first fifteen minutes of it. After that, she couldn't even look at me.

"Well, that wasn't nice." Kyle said.

"Auriele and Kaden have a bad relationship." Warren advised. I scrunched my nose up at him in response.

"Tell that woman I said hurry up or Kaden and Jesse will eat it all." Mercy said casting a glance at me. I looked at her with a deadpan face that made her laugh.

Another car pulled up and I refrained from walking out the door and hiding myself in my house. If I had done that, I would never live it down. Darryl and Auriele walked into the house, followed closely behind by Peter and Honey. Since everyone was now present, we moved into the dining room.

Jesse, Gabriel, and Mercy began bringing the food out. The other nine of us took our places around the table. Adam took the head and the rest of us left the first seat on his right and the first two seats on his left for Jesse and Gabriel. We were patient even though our mouths were watering.

When the other three were situated, we went around the table telling what we were thankful for. I listened intently to all the lovey dovey stuff I heard. I had never seen Darryl look that way but he did when he looked at Auriele. It was odd being in the presence of couples, especially a teenage couple.

It got to me and I looked around the room. I wasn't close to half of the people in this room and the other half were my friends. I didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings.

"I'm thankful for a brother who cared enough to send me to a pack who cares for me as much as he did." I said.

"You mean your vampire brother?" Auriele asked incredulously. "You're seriously thankful for him? He's dead."

I was rarely submissive but I didn't want to argue on Thanksgiving. I simply stared her down until I forced her to look away. Adam nodded is approval of my method of ignoring a situation that could have been bad.

It was Ben's turn. He looked at me. I shook my head to answer the question in his eyes. I wasn't ready to admit what was going on just yet. The only people who knew were Adam and Sam and I was going to keep it that way until we figured out what we were going to do.

"I'm thankful for a pack that puts up with me." He said finally. I couldn't help but laugh at him. It took a moment but he smiled cheekily.

Food was dished out and we set out with amiable discussion. Ben kept his cool as we all passed insults and stories. It kept the atmosphere calm and collected, which was all we needed after a long last few weeks.

After dinner, Adam, Warren, Darryl, Gabriel, and Kyle went into the media room to watch the Iron Bowl between Auburn and Alabama and the Border War between Missouri and Kansas. I would never understand men's obsession with football on Thanksgiving.

When the dishes were washed, I ventured outside on the covered porch to watch the river. Where I was there was no way Auriele, Jesse and Mercy could see me from the living room where they were watching a movie. I sat on the railing and swung my legs like a child would. This was my favorite place of the whole house. You could hide in plain sight and no one would find you.

It was quiet for Thanksgiving. I couldn't even hear animals roaming about. It seemed they were using the holiday to make sure they got home. That and it was cold. The front door opened. I was on the other side so I could hear who was going to come around the corner. It was Ben. He had a jacket in his hand as he walked towards me. He tossed the jacket around my shoulders and leaned against the railing, his shoulder against mine. I never even realized I was cold until the jacket chased the final chill away.

We sat in silence when most would be talking. It was just easier because Ben had to be able to trust me during silence and times we talked. At the moment his muscles were loose. Tenseness always ran through him when he was around women. I took it as a compliment it was because at dinner I could see every muscle as they were bunched under his shirt and skin. I couldn't help it as I rubbed my hand along his shoulder and back, feeling the smoothness of the chiseled muscle there. He smiled and leaned a little closer.

"It's so calm out here." He said.

"Well, considering you live in the city, you really wouldn't see it much." I replied. He snorted in laughter. "Have you thought about what I said last night?"

He tensed then. "Yeah, it's been on my mind all night." When he stopped talking after that, I figured it out.

"Don't worry about it. We have plenty of time. There are full moons every month."

"I'm sorry, Kaden."

"Don't be." I slid off the railing and went back in the house. "Adam?" I found him in the kitchen as I went to the bedroom where my clothes were. "I'm going home."

He frowned. "What did he do?"

"He didn't do anything, Adam. It's just too soon for him." I grabbed my bag. "It's different for people who have had many bad things happen to them."

He squinted a little. "What happened?"

"Nothing that I can't handle. I'll see you later."

"Wait." There was a little push in his voice that made me stop before I walked into the garage. He closed the door to the media room, not that it would make any difference, but it told the other three this wasn't pack business. He looked down at me. Now I could have chosen to defy that look but it would be so much easier to submit to it, so I did.

I sighed. "Do you know the reason you were called to come get me from Shreveport twelve months ago?"

"Bran said you were a female lone wolf and that he was angry about that. He said I needed to take you in."

"That's partly true. He just happened to leave out the part of where I was tied up and raped then stabbed with a silver blade. When Eric told the Marrok, I heard him snarl. Then he son took over because he was destroying his house." I noticed that Adam's face had darkened, the little white lines showing up on his cheeks. "I didn't argue after that. Besides, I've always felt the longing to rejoin a pack."

"So why didn't you?"

"I don't like being told what to do." I waited as he let that sink in. He never commanded anything but respect and obedience. That was it. So when I opened the door to the garage, he didn't say anything as I walked out the door.

I made it across the yard and into the house before I realized I was cold. I shucked all my clothes for warmer ones and turned the thermostat up just a little from where Sam had it at sixty-five. I was going to have a talk with him about making this house feel like Montana.

I was getting ready for bed when there was a knock at the door. It was a werewolf from the smell. I opened the door to see Ben standing on my porch. I stepped away from the door and he came in. We looked at each other for a few moments before he crossed the floor to me. Being taller than Adam, he was taller than me, which wasn't hard since I was just south of five foot eight. I looked up at him, waiting for him to say something. He didn't just say something, he said it well.

He kissed me.

Against my better judgment because of his insecurities, I wrapped my arms around his waist and held him as he framed my face. As long as he was controlling this, I was going to let him. He needed to know he could trust me with this as well as everything else in his life.

He pulled away, looking me in the eyes. They were warm and happy but there was something he was holding back. I leaned forward and inhaled his scent. The mixture of mint and musk was normal but he had the distinctive smell of Earl Grey tea. That wasn't surprising. He was from England.

My not questioning him made him relax that much more, so much so he was able to hold me without pulling away. We stood like that in the kitchen for a few moments before I pulled away with a yawn.

"Would you like to stay?" I asked. Sam was working a double shift so he wouldn't be home until tomorrow afternoon and I didn't feel like sending him home.

His eyes dulled. "Are you sure it won't be too much of a burden?" I looked at him funnily. This time his cheeks darkened to scarlet. It didn't take much; he was that fair complected. "I overheard you and Adam talking before you left." I nodded when I realized what he was talking about. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't tell anyone in the pack. Including Adam. It never mattered."

"Of course it mattered."

"Is this coming from experience?" He looked at me and nodded. "That's why I don't talk about it. I'm not going to force you to talk about what happened to you. You'll tell me over time." A faint smile came over his face. "I'm going to bed. You're welcome to join me."

I walked to my room, which was Mercy's old room. It still smelled like her but it was slowly starting to smell like me. I didn't have much. I had shoved the chest of drawers into the closet, which only had my jackets hanging in it. The rest of my clothes were folded in the drawers. My bed was a full size one that had matching bedside tables. My brother had gone all out when I moved here, making sure I had what I needed. He wasn't thrilled I had a male werewolf as a roommate but he had no say since I was a new wolf in the pack.

I ignored the light switch as I went in the room. My head was done with lights for the day. Ben didn't seem to mind either. He was following me no matter what. I crawled in bed as he took off his shoes. He stuttered for a moment as he reached for his shirt. He wasn't used to this so I turned away. When I felt it was safe, I turned back around. He was folding his clothing and setting them on top of the dresser in the closet, giving me ample time to look over his muscular body.

He really wasn't too bulky as his wolf form but he was big enough to cause a scene. If he were more comfortable with himself, he would have a slew of girls after him. He was still young enough to be a huge catch but his werewolf side would never let his girlfriend or wife to do as she pleased. I understood that and knew we were going to have some problems on the terms of obedience but right now we had bigger problems.

He caught me looking at him and color flooded his cheeks. I smiled and sunk down under the covers, nestling against my pillow with a happy sigh. It took him a minute but he finally made his way over. He slowly crawled into bed and settled on the other side. I didn't roll over to look at him because that would have caused him to be even more uncomfortable.

When he was completely settled, he let an arm fall across my waist. When I didn't move, he curled around me; knees forming to mine, belly pressed against my back, and face pressed into my hair. I still refused to acknowledge anything he had done because I didn't want to make him move and he was warm, like a normal werewolf.

It didn't talk long for him to fall into a restful sleep. I soon followed and just let myself relax.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note:** I guess rereading this series has helped me write this story, which has always been playing in the back of my mind. I'm hoping you're enjoying this story. If so, please tell me. I'm waiting for my first comment.

Enjoy!

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The sunlight seeped through the window. I hadn't put blinds up in my room because they were a pain to clean. So if I wanted privacy, which I got none living with a werewolf like Sam, I could simply put up a blanket. In other words it didn't really matter.

The light shining in my face woke me from a deep sleep. I stretched my toes first to make sure I had feeling in them. Sometimes I slept in awkward positions and my toes were the first to go to sleep. When I noticed they had feeling in them, I stretched the rest of my body. The arm draped across my stomach was warm. Instinctively I turned into the body it belonged to.

It was easy to snuggle under Ben's chin. Somehow our leg's tangled together. He enclosed me in his arms as I buried my face in the side of his neck. We would have gone back to sleep but my phone rang. I ignored it for the first couple of times it rang. By the third time I was annoyed. I snatched the phone and hit the answer button.

"What?" My voice could have been nicer because it could have been anyone from Adam to the Marrok calling, but I was crabby because I had been asleep.

"You need to get to the hospital." I was right. It had been Adam but the fear in his voice told me something else. That and the fact that he was running.

I was up and moving around the room, phone pressed to my ear. "Jesse?"

"Yeah, I'm in Spokane."

"What the hell are you doing there?" Again, I could have been nicer but that had gone out the window.

"I had business today."

"It's Black Friday."

"I know. Where are you?"

"At home. I'll be there in a few minutes. Do you want me to wait on you?"

"No. Help Mercy get her home and call the pack. I'll be there in less than three hours."

"Got it." I snapped the phone closed and slipped it in a pocket of my cargos. I walked over to the bed and shook Ben. "Get up and get dressed. We got to go."

"I heard." He replied as I looked out the window.

"Ok. I'll be right back." I threw open my bedroom door. Sam's car was outside but that didn't necessarily mean he was home. So I threw open his bedroom door (remember: no privacy, especially not in emergencies) and began gathering clothes for him. "Superman, get up."

"Go away." He growled at me. He obviously had just gotten in because he was still in his scrubs.

"No can do on this one. Adam says we got to go."

"What the hell for?"

"Jesse's in the hospital."

He was up then and asking questions like I knew he would as he started to change into the clothing I had in my hands. "What happened?"

"I won't know until we get there. Hurry up."

We were all ready in ten minutes. Sam merely lifted an eyebrow at Ben as he walked out of my room in one of his shirts. I shook my head when he turned that gaze to me. We piled in my Jeep and headed for the hospital where Sam and I both worked.

I parked in nurse's parking because hey! I'm a nurse. It was also the closest to the building you could get. Sam brushed past us and went into the building as Ben started making calls to the pack. As we walked through, I found Mercy in the waiting room. She was shaking uncontrollably. Warren was with her which made me think she had called him about the time Adam called me.

"Mercy?" I said as I walked over. She flew at me, her arms going around my waist in a hug. "What happened?"

"We were getting a jump start on Christmas shopping like we always do. We were in Wal-Mart on the edge of town when I smelled something out of place. I was on the phone with Warren asking him to meet us there when Jesse suddenly dropped. She'd been shot. Kaden, she's only seventeen. She's too young to be in this mess."

I waited until she calmed down enough so I could hand her off to Warren and then walked out into the hallway. Ben and Sam were talking to Dr. Rutledge as I came up.

"Jesse's fine. She's able to go home. The bullet only nicked her arm but I'm concerned with the caliber." She said.

"What was the caliber?" I asked.

"I'm not quite certain."

"Is there any way I can see it?" She produced it from her pocket in a little plastic bag. I took it and looked it over as she continued to talk. "It was embedded in the bone and had to be moved a little to get it out. Her arm will be fully functional when the wound heals."

"Thank you." I said as I handed it back. "Have the proper authorities been called?"

"Yes, we have Officer Tony Montenegro on his way over." I knew Tony and knew he was a good man. "He should be here shortly. If you'll excuse me, I have patients to attend to."

When she was out of hearing distance, we formed a small circle just in case. "That was a 7.62x51mm NATO." I said.

"That's a small cal." Sam replied. "I'm not sure I know what it belongs to."

"It's a SIG-Saur SSG 3000 made by Schweiserische Industrie Gesellschaft. It's bolt actioned and the cartridge holds five rounds. It's used in law enforcement in Germany, where it originated, and the United States."

"So we're looking for a police officer?"

"Either that or someone who can easily get their hands on one."

We heard Jesse emerge from the emergency room. Mercy came out and took the girl in her arms as gently as possible. Warren looked at Sam in question. He shook his head.

We followed them out to their car. They had ridden with Warren obviously. When we found my car in the parking lot, I let Sam drive because I was about to call Adam. It probably wasn't a good idea because Mercy should do it, but she was concerned with Jesse. So I picked the lesser of two evils and called the Alpha.

He picked up on the first ring. "Is she okay?"

"She's fine. Rutledge says she was only nicked by it." I replied.

I heard him sigh in relief. "Good. Where are you now?"

"Heading to your house. Ben called the pack while we were at the hospital."

He didn't say anything about why Ben was with us. He knew because his red truck had been left at Adam's last night when he stayed with me. He did however catch the change in my tone. "What haven't you said?"

I took a deep breath, getting ready for the onslaught that would ensue. "Jesse was shot with a sniper rifle, SIG-Saur SSG 3000 to be exact. It's standard task force edition."

I heard him curse under his breath. "Cops? A cop shot my daughter?"

"That's what we're looking at. I won't know for sure until I do some digging."

"Kaden, I don't want you to get your nose in this."

"Sorry, Boss, but my nose was thrust into this when you called me at eight-thirty. That was your fault as well.'

He growled at my insult but I think it was more about the fact that I told him it was his fault. "True, but don't do it alone."

"I'm not. I got friends in high places."

"Ok, but to be safe, I want you to call Bran."

I dropped my head with a sigh. Last time I had talked to Bran Cornick on the phone he had chewed me out for flying under his radar for about two hundred years. Females weren't supposed to be lone wolves but I had been one for a long time, living with a vampire so I wouldn't be found. It had worked, until a year ago when I made my presence known. Ever since then, both Bran and Adam had made sure I didn't think about leaving.

"Kaden, it's for my daughter." Adam's voice was desperate as he said the words. There was nothing he wouldn't do for his daughter.

"All right. I'll call Bran. You concentrate on getting home in one piece."

"I will. See you in a bit."

I hit the end button and stared at my phone. I couldn't believe I was doing this but Adam had asked and I was going to do it. I dialed the number and waited. It was answered on the second ring.

"Hello?" It was a female and there was only one female that would answer that number. Leah.

Drat! I was in for an earful. "Hello? This is Kaden Northman, a wolf in Adam Hauptman's pack. I'm calling on his behalf."

"What do you want, old one?" Well, that was an insult if I heard one.

I clenched the seatbelt in my fist. Two could play that game. "I need to talk to your husband, unwanted one." Sam snorted from the front seat. He liked it.

She went off on a tirade but it was cut short when someone told her gruffly to shut up and hand him the phone. That was Bran. I had talked enough with him on the phone to know his voice. He came on sounding so regal it made me want to gag. What a hoax!

"Hello?"

"Bran?"

"Hello, Kaden. What can I do for you?"

"Jesse Hauptman's been shot."

There was silence on the other end. Either he didn't know what to say or was waiting for me to say more. I opened my mouth but he beat me to it. "Is she okay?"

"It's just a nick but it could have been worse. She was shot using a Saur."

"Police addition."

"Yes, sir."

"What do you need?"

"I need to know if there are any police officers in the Tri-Cities area who absolutely despise the werewolves. Someone who has no qualms with shooting a seventeen-year-old girl."

"I'll get Charles and Anna on it." Charles was Bran's youngest son. He was almost two hundred years old. Anna was his mate. She was young but feisty, an Omega in the Marrok's pack.

"Thanks."

"How are you doing?'

I shifted, knowing exactly what he meant by asking that question. He wanted to know how I liked being a in a pack. I was tempted to tell him that I hated it but that would have been a lie. I looked at Ben, who had become the reason for changing my mind. "Fine."

"You know why I put you there right?"

"Because if I had been in your pack, I would have been a threat to Leah." I heard the other female in the background giving the phone a piece of her mind while on my end Sam was laughing hysterically while he drove up into Adam's driveway, already filled with cars of pack members.

"I take it you said that just to get on her nerves." I snorted at his assumptions. "I take that as a yes. Kaden, stay out of trouble."

"Seriously? Do you honestly think I am going to sit by while Jesse has been shot and Adam's pissed beyond all recognition?"

"No, but I want you to stay out of trouble. We don't need any wolves acting stupid if there are police officers shooting werewolves and their families. When's Adam due back?"

"This afternoon. He told me to call you."

"Keep me updated." He hung up on me.

I stared at the phone for a few moments before I climbed from the car and walked into the house where the pack was waiting.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note:** In the last chapter, I made a mistake. I said the SSG 3000 was a small caliber sniper rifle. Upon further research, I was wrong. The bullet is huge. My bad.

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I was sitting in the kitchen with Mercy when Adam burst into the house and up the stairs. No one moved as they heard the Alpha slam into his daughter's bedroom to check on her. After a few minutes of silence, the same door shut and Adam descended the stairs. He and Mercy met in the middle of the kitchen. I looked away as they shared a tender moment that should be private.

"Kaden?" I finally looked at him. He was still holding Mercy to him and both were looking at me. "Thank you."

"No problem, Adam, but I think you need to hear this from me."

So I told him everything I found out and the call I made to Bran. He listened intently as all the other wolves filtered in to the kitchen to listen in. Ben ended up behind me, hand encompassing my neck. Everyone else noticed as I knew they would but I was too into my tale and getting angrier every the more I said. I even said the things Bran told me, much to Sam's amusement again. He was remembering what I had called Leah and what I said to his father to make his mate go insane. It made me want to laugh as crazily as he had earlier.

Adam must have picked up on that because he held up his hand to silence me. I grunted but shut my mouth anyway. He left his wife and paced his end of the kitchen. He was restless. Because he didn't know who had shot his daughter, he didn't know who to go after. I was not about to tell him whose scent had clung to that bullet as I had inspected it in the baggie. That wasn't wise. I would discuss it with Bran before I did Adam. That alone showed how much I was going against my Alpha for his own sake.

"So what did Bran say?" Adam asked after he quit pacing. His hands were clenching and I don't think he realized it.

"He said keep him updated." I replied, even though I had already told him what the Marrok had said. "He also said that if I annoyed Leah again she'd bite my head off." The remark sent Sam into fits of laughter that had the rest of the pack laughing as well. Not many got Sam to laugh like that. Mercy winked at me.

"Bran would say that." The Alpha stopped and looked at me. "Was there any scent that you could pick up from anyone?"

I shook my head, knowing full well what I was about to do could get me killed. "Not that I recognized. Do you know how hard it is to smell anything in a hospital when all they use are funky disinfectants? It's almost as hard as smelling anything than grease on Mercy." The joke got me off the hook with Adam, who merely chuckled at the thought, but not with Sam. Although he was laughing, I knew his eyes had narrowed in on me when I had lied.

"I understand that." He took a deep breath. "All right. I'm giving all my duties to one of the others so I can stay with Jesse. Everyone, be on alert for someone out of the ordinary with the police. I don't want someone getting another surprise attack on us again. We've had too many of those since we as a group came out to the public."

He gave a few more orders then sent us on our way, except for Honey and Peter who he asked to remain and the house for the night.

I volunteered to walk back as Sam and Ben got in the cars and drove the half mile to my little house. They beat me to it and waited until I came around the front before following me. I went to change, Sam hot on my heels.

"Why did you lie to Adam?" he asked. He didn't even bother hiding his voice from Ben because he was certain Ben had heard me as well.

"Because I know the scent on that bullet." I replied as I threw on another t-shirt and found a rubber band to tie my hair back.

"And you didn't say anything?"

"It wouldn't do any good if I had. The guy is an untouchable."

"Untouchable?" Ben asked. "What the hell does that mean?"

"It means he's in the military. Or was. He could have been and now is hiding out as a cop who secretly hates anything supernatural." Sam looked at me closely. "You know this person well?"

"Very well. SHE and I were in school together about six years ago. That's one of the ways I stayed under your father's radar." I knew he thought that was interesting considering Bran knew every werewolf in North America because it was his job and he was just nosy. My hiding from him meant that I could hide from anyone.

"What are you going to do?" Ben asked.

"I'm going to talk to Tony. Maybe he'll know who I'm talking about."

"You're going to let him handle this?" Sam said.

"It's better than Adam, who will kill her."

"It's a woman." I heard Ben make an unpleasant sound, which was going to send us back a few steps. "Well, this is going to make things very interesting."

"Don't worry, Ben. I'm sure Kaden has a plan." Sam replied, knowing me too well.

I laughed and stood, grabbing my jacket once again. I picked up my keys from the table where Sam had dropped them when we came in. On second thought, I turned around. Both were still following me.

"I'm going alone." I said pointedly.

"Like hell you are." Sam argued.

"I'm more than equipped to fend for myself than anyone else. I'm going alone."

We stared at each other for a few moments. Sam finally backed down, not necessarily admitting dominance but allowing me to do this on my own.

"Fine, but if you're not back in two hours, I'm coming after you will Adam at my back."

"Fine." I walked out the door, slamming it for good measure. When I was tucked securely in my Jeep with the engine running, I dialed Bran's private cell number. He answered on the third ring. "I lied. I know who it was."

There was a soft snort on the other end. "I know you did. Charles did some digging anyway. Melody Hopkins is a sniper for the Pasco PD. She's the only one on your side of Spokane who uses the type of gun you described. She graduated Stanford a few years ago before joining the military."

"I know. I graduated with her."

There was silence on the other end. Giving this information was just going to make Bran that much more unhappy with me but this was about Jesse. If it had been about anyone else, I wouldn't have said anything.

"So you were here long before I was." He voice was perfectly controlled.

"No, I came after you set up shop. I was just very good at hiding from you. But that's not the point. The point is I'm going to talk with Tony Montenegro about getting in contact with Melody. After that, I'm going to let her know what she's done."

"This is extremely dangerous."

"Tell me something I don't know."

"Does Adam know?"

"Nope, and I'm not going to tell him until I drag her back to his house."

"You could be killed.'

"Not likely."

"You're confident she won't do you any harm?"

"She won't do me any harm. All she knows is that I'm a friend she graduated Stanford with. I made certain that I didn't lose my temper while I was in school, or do anything stupid for that matter. She became my friend."

Bran took that and thought on it for a moment. If I were in the room, I would have been able to see the wheels in his head turning. "Kaden, you're messing with something you may never recover from.'

"They said that a year ago as well, but I did."

He knew what I was talking about and let that one slide, not before a growl came from him. "Yes, well, not all of us are that strong."

"Who says I'm strong? I just know how to hide it."

"Be careful."

"I will. Don't tell Adam until I officially have her. We wouldn't want him to come after me."

"You're asking too much of me, Old One." Funny. When he said that, it sounded respectful, unlike Leah who just sounded snide.

"I ask what you can give."

"Can you promise her safety?"

"I'll take Sam with me."

"All right." He wanted to say something else but just hung up instead.

I stared at the phone for a few moments before I turned my eyes back on the road. This was more important than trying to figure out the Marrok's emotions. Even though I haven't met him, I figured he was as much in control of his emotions as I was. He didn't show them often but when he did, they were very strong.

A few minutes later, I pulled into the parking lot of Kennewick Police Department. I hated police stations. It was a thing I had developed during World War II when the Nazis were killing people everywhere, claiming they were the ultimate police. Since then I had refused to step inside one. This time I didn't have a choice. I had to find which station Melody was stationed.

"Can I help you, miss?" the dispatcher asked as I came into the room.

"I'm looking for Tony Montenegro." I replied.

"He's in his office. Would you like me to tell him who is asking for him?"

"Please. My name's Kaden Northman.' That would get his attention.

She disappeared for a few moments. When she stepped out the door, she motioned me in. I walked in and sat down. He was working on his computer, probably on paperwork he had let build up. When he looked up, he had to do a double take. Werewolves are like vampires; we stay the age we were when we were Changed. I was twenty-six and I would forever remain that age. My hair hadn't changed color unless I dyed it, which I was known to do. It had just gotten longer. At the moment it was well past the middle of my back.

"Miss Northman, what can I do for you?" he asked in a professional tone.

"I'm here about Jesse Hauptman." I replied neutrally.

He frowned. "You're pack." I nodded. "Is she okay?"

"She's fine. It was just a nick but the bullet was a large caliber. 7.64x51mm NATO to be exact."

"You know your rifles."

"I've been around a long time, Mr. Montenegro. I know more than you can imagine."

"Hasn't Adam refused to let the rest of his wolves be known?"

"We can pick and chose. At the moment, I chose to let you in on my little secret because you believe me."

"How do you know?"

"You know Mercy Thompson Hauptman well. She's a close friend of mine. If you believe her, you'll believe me." I waited until that sunk in. He nodded that I should go on. "I need to know which station Melody Hopkins is registered at."

"Melody? What on earth for?"

"The bullet belonged to her sniper rifle."

His mouth dropped. "How can that be?"

I pulled a piece of paper from my pocket and set it on the table. Before I had left Adam's house, I had printed off a picture paper of the rifle and the registry that Charles had sent me (I hadn't told Bran that I already knew who the rifle belonged to because he would have chewed me out. I already was going to get that so…eh). Tony had the bullet.

"This is a registry I got from a good friend. Melody's name is written all over it."

Tony frowned at the evidence I presented. It was concrete stuff so he couldn't argue with me. "Will you take her to the pack?"

"I have to but I promise no harm will come to her. After we get her confession, you can have her to persecute her in a court of law."

"What would happen if she was pack?"

"She would have been killed instantly. No one attack's the Alpha's family and gets away with it."

He ran a hand over his face as he sighed. "You can promise no one will hurt her?" I nodded. "You're asking me to do a big favor."

"I know, but I can pay it back in full. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. This is now my home and I have a good job."

"I have a question." I inclined my head to him. "Why don't you open your own private investigation agency? You're very good at this."

I smiled. "I've had a lot of time to practice and that might not be a bad idea. I do have someone who could be my partner."

I waited as he called the Pasco PD. From what I heard, she was going to come to Kennewick to meet with Tony. The two of us sat in silence sipping coffee as we waited for Melody to show up. He did a little paperwork while I relaxed in the chair against the wall.

He couldn't work, I noticed, because he was nervous about me being in the room. I liked to think I was a calm enough werewolf that I didn't cause too much trouble. I caused enough to keep me happy but not enough to upset anyone else. This was going to cause a little bit of trouble with Adam but it was my way of making sure the pack was safe. And in all honesty, it was the first time I had never told Adam the truth so it was forgivable. Mercy would say it's easier to ask forgiveness than it was permission. Well, I was running on that theory today.

Melody walked in an hour after we called. She still looked the same; short red hair pulled up into a loose ponytail, soft green eyes that always held laughter, and a small form. She was a little more muscular than I had last seen her, but that was due to training in both the military and police force. On her back was slung her rifle. I could smell the gun powder residue that lingered. That rifle had been fired today, and not too long ago at that.

"Hey, Tony." She said happily. "What's going on? Why did you call me all the way out here?" Tony pointed behind her at me. She turned and the smile broadened. "Kaden Taylor? It's been a long time since I saw you. Are you still a nurse?"

"Yep, but I'm thinking of changing my profession." I replied. Seriously, the thought of snooping for a living sounded great.

She turned back to Tony. "Why did you tell me to bring my rifle?"

"We're going on a little trip." Tony said.

"Where?"

"The local Alpha's house." I said. She turned to me, eyes suddenly wary. Yeah, she was guilty. I could smell it on her.

I didn't say another word as Tony ushered her to his car. I led the way in mine, calling Sam on my way.

"Hello?" he said on the first ring. He was at Adam's; otherwise he would have said my name.

"Home." Was all I had to say for him to know what it meant.

"Good."

I hung up and steeled myself for the onslaught to come.


	9. Chapter 9

Adam was growling mad when Tony, Melody and I walked into his house that afternoon. I hadn't gone against orders because he hadn't issued any, but I had kept information from him. That's the only thing he was mad about. He laid into me when I walked in, making sure every wolf in the house knew what to expect. They knew, but he wanted it reiterated to make sure they got it.

I kept my head bowed as he ranted and raved at me. There was no need for me to get defiant when I knew what was going on and I had been the one to find the shooter. I had had the backing of the Marrok so it made Adam's rant all the more stupid, but I wasn't going to tell an angry Alpha he had no power.

When Adam turned his back on me, I lifted my head and met Ben's gaze. He was trying not to lose his temper. At the moment, we weren't anything more than two people whose wolves had chosen each other. We hadn't made anything permanent yet but it would be in a couple of weeks.

At the moment, he wanted to come to my rescue, but that would have been suicide. Besides, if anyone was equipped to handle an angry Alpha, it was me. I had been handling them all my life, which was very long indeed. I had too much respect for Adam though. He had made a home for me in his pack and I had done what I thought was right to keep him sane. Bringing his daughter's shooter to him instead of having him find her meant he could do things on his own terms but a human police officer was there to keep the peace.

Darryl looked at me. He obviously had read my reasoning in going alone but he wasn't going to say anything. I got the distinct impression that if I hadn't have gone, he would have and he wasn't as lenient as I was. There were redeemable people in the world and then there were the ones who were just downright mean. I couldn't tell if Melody was the first or the latter just yet.

Tony was sitting Melody down in the living room. He had taken her rifle from her and just recently handed it to me. I pulled the gun from its case and shook my head to get the sudden scent of gunpowder residue out of my nostrils. Oh, yeah. This was the gun but just to make sure I had to do something.

"Jesse!" I called. She was undoubtedly upstairs. I heard her come down the stairs quickly. There was no doubt she had seen us come up. She stopped in front of me. I quickly took the bandages off. Adam growled at me. "Chill, papa bear. I'm not hurting her." I pressed my nose to her skin and took a whiff. At first I smelled her body wash, but as I got closer to the fresh wound, the scent of GPR got stronger. I passed her off to Sam who rewrapped her arm. "Sam, did you smell what I did?"

"Body wash and gunpowder residue." He replied as Jesse went to stand by her dad. Adam pulled her to him and held her there.

"Smell this for me." I passed the gun to him and he sniffed the muzzle of the gun. "Same GPR."

I took the rifle back and looked at Melody. "Our noses don't lie. This is the same gun that shot Jesse at the Wal-Mart here in Kennewick. You're the only one who is qualified to shoot that type of gun in this area of the Tri-Cities. Why'd you shoot her?"

Melody looked between the cop, mechanic and eight werewolves in the room. I stared at her as she wracked her brain. Much like Bran, I had a quirky trait that sometimes worked when I didn't want it to and didn't when I needed it. At the moment, it worked. She was trying to find something to say that wouldn't get her into too much trouble. There was only one thing that would draw her attention: me.

"Do you remember the boy in our public speaking class? The one who had a crush on you?" she asked. Ben tensed at that moment. "Did you know he got married the other day? I say she's pregnant because no one in their right mind would marry him. He was too much of a control freak." She had no idea what she was talking about. She was in the room with plenty of control freaks. Luckily I wasn't one of them.

"Melody, answer the question." I said.

The tone in my voice told her I wasn't playing. We stared at each other until she was vibrating with anger. Suddenly, she came at me. I easily deflected her, which made her even madder. I finally grabbed her then thrust her at Darryl who just held her.

"Tell me why you attacked her." I repeated.

She started laughing almost hysterically. "I had a partner who was a werewolf. When they came out to the public, my partner came out. Everyone just thought he was gay and wasn't going to tell us. No, he was a werewolf. One night we were called in and someone shot him."

The werewolf she was talking about was Marcus Cross. He and his human mate were living in Pasco with their two human children. About six months ago, Marcus had been attacked. We never found the culprit but as we continued to Melody, we figured she had been the one.

"He didn't come to work for days and when he did, he transferred to Narc unit." Of course he would. He could smell drugs like the best of us.

"After I found out he was a werewolf, it wasn't hard to find out who his Alpha was. I was going to wait until she was alone before I did anything but she was always with someone. So I took my chance. Too bad she didn't die."

Adam snarled as Jesse cringed. Darryl whipped Melody around as she yelped. I stepped in the way of Adam to keep him from barreling his way to the woman and ripping her head off her shoulders. This I could handle.

And yet during it all, Melody was rambling.

"If she had, I could have told my brothers that I killed a werewolf because there is no doubt in my mind that Adam would have come after me. It would have been fine if he had come after me." She started laughing.

I never realized PTSD would affect her so bad. It was so obvious Sam and I looked at each other.

"Darryl, maneuver her around please, but keep her face out of Adam's sight." Sam said. The second did as he was asked. Sam lifted the woman's shirt then hung his head. "Adam, this woman was attacked by a werewolf."

Adam, who never cussed in front of women, let a few choice words fly. Contrary to beliefs, we were all attacked so badly we essentially died. The only way we lived was the werewolf ability to heal at quick rates. It was the only thing that actually kept us alive. Melody hadn't been attacked at the rate the rest of us had, save Mercy who was a walker and Jesse who was fully human. The sharp claws of the werewolf had left deep scars along her back. No wonder she hated us.

Darryl turned her back around to look at me. "You shouldn't be alive! You're a fricking monster who needs to die as horribly as my oldest brother Scott."

I didn't let the impact of her response to show on my face. I knew I was a monster, but I lived with that every day. Sam made a noise beside me that sounding like a hiss but I wasn't certain.

"Melody Hopkins, you're under arrest for the attempted murder of Jesse Hauptman. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. A lawyer shall be appointed to you if you can't find one…." I tuned Tony out as I left the house with Adam calling after me.

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I returned to my house late that night. Sam had taken my car back to the house after I disappeared. Ben's red truck was in the drive. I had a feeling he would be living there from now on.

The lights were out as I walked through the front door and locked it behind me. Sam was in his room. I could hear his light breathing. He was the first person I wanted to see so I turned on my heel and went to his room. Not even bothering to knock, I went in his room and flopped out with my head on the foot of his bed. He shifted around to lie beside me. He didn't touch me but we stared at it other.

"You're not a monster, you know." he said softly. "No monster would stop an angry Alpha with as much gall as you did."

"He's probably mad at me." I whispered.

"No, not mad. He understands why you did it. You did it to protect him and the pack. He's aggravated you didn't tell him what you were up to and bringing the shooter to his house but he's not mad." He nudged my forehead with his. "Da said your promise to keep the woman safe was a little stupid but that it was something he would do. Unnecessary bloodshed is not something we need right now. He was impressed at how you handled the situation."

"Glad I have his respect."

"You've always had his respect. If you can hide from him for two hundred years, it means he respects your talents, even the ones that don't work when you need them to." Of course Bran would know about my dysfunctional telepathy. He was one to talk. He had the same dysfunctional telepathy I had, except when mine worked I could talk both ways. I said it came from being whacked on the head while I was in Mississippi two years ago.

"I better go see what's up with Ben." I rolled off the bed and headed for the door.

"Kaden?" I stopped and looked at him. "He's a good guy. He was ready to attack Adam for yelling at you."

"I know." He nodded and I left him in his room.

I walked across the trailer and opened the door to my room. Ben was sprawled out in the floor looking at old pictures I had. They ranged from the 1800s up until now. I wasn't sure what he was looking for but I let him look through it as I changed clothing. Once comfortable in my sweats and t-shirt, I climbed in the bed and watched him look while tucking my head in my pillow. My wolf side was whining at being called a monster.

"Your hair is different than it is here." He said. "It's brown when clearly your natural color is blond."

"I think I used some sort of dye to change the colors. I can't really remember." I replied.

He looked over his shoulder and looked contrite. He pushed himself up and shucked his clothing before crawling into bed with me. He lay like he did last night, pressed against me. This time, I reciprocated, burying my face in between his neck and shoulder. Him being here meant something to me. He liked me enough to understand that what had been said to all of us truly hurt me.

I knew I was a monster. I had been for over twelve hundred years. It never bothered me until now. I wasn't like many werewolves my age. I had never eaten a human in my long life and I tried not to kill people. Sometimes I missed that because they attacked me and I had to defend myself. I liked being alone but I also liked the tight confines of a pack. I had never been married in my human life and never truly wished to have someone at my side for the rest of my life.

Until now.

Until now, I had been content to be alone for the rest of my life. Then Ben had dropped into my lap and that all changed. In two days I began to feel as if I couldn't live without him and that was the scary part. We both obviously had some things to deal with but we could deal with them together.

We didn't talk. It seemed that it was better that way. I think we both realized that we would have enough time to talk after we were mated. At the moment, we just wanted to hold each other.


	10. Chapter 10

After a week of keeping calm about everything going on, from Jesse's shooting to Melody being admitted to a mental institution for severe PTSD, I finally broke down.

I disappeared for two days.

After being on my own for two hundred years, I was really good at hiding my scent when I don't want someone following me. I didn't want anyone following me so I made sure my tracks were covered as I left the pack. I went to a wooded area on the Snake River that I knew no one in the pack knew about. I stayed in wolf form and hunted small game. At night I slept in a small den I made close to the river.

Being away from the pack made it easier to think.

Ben had essentially moved in with me and Sam. He brought some of his clothes and left them in my room. There was a clear box under the bed. There were some pictures of people who were obviously his family. Luckily he and Sam got along well enough that Sam didn't say a word. I didn't care one way or another consider in another we would officially be mates.

We had discussed it a lot over the last week. He hadn't told me all that had happened to him and I didn't ask. We would work that out as we went. I told him the full extent of my attack a year ago and the reason behind it. It had upset him and he had held me all night. He was giving up more than he was willing to admit.

The thing that had pushed me over the edge was Jesse. She had told Gabriel about being shot. I wouldn't have minded if the boy hadn't said some things that made my skin crawl. I understood the boy had younger sisters of his own and he was very protective of them. I understood that he was protective of Jesse, but stating that monster killing monster was a little disheartening. Jesse had seen look on my face as I walked out. It was from there that I left for my two days of freedom.

I changed back into my normal human self and waited a few moments before I put my clothes on. It always hurt changing because the body is contorting into a different creature. I found my car where I had hidden it off the road and climbed in. Heat was welcoming commodity and I played it on the low side. I didn't play any music as I drove to Adam's. His place was where I had to go first.

The place looked like a used car lot as I pulled into the driveway. He must have called the pack in when I disappeared. I didn't even think about it as I got out of the car and walked in the house. Warren and Darryl were pouring over maps of the area in the living room over the coffee table as I walked past it. I could hear the others in the kitchen talking about other areas when I walked that way.

I walked in and Adam's head came up. He was about to come around the island and stopped. There must have been something on my face that stopped him in his tracks. It didn't stop Jesse though. She flew around the island, wrapping her arms around me. Only when I didn't hug her back did she look at me. She stepped back slowly.

When I looked down, my hands were shaking. There was something warm on my face. Lifting one of my shaking hands, I touched my cheek and looked at the liquid there. I was crying. I hadn't cried in years; not since my brothers died. I never even cried when I was attacked. Well, not for real. I only cried when I was stabbed because the blade had been pure silver. Why was I crying now?

I knew that answer. Everything that had happened in the last week had taken its toll on me, causing a mini nervous breakdown. I felt like Jesse getting shot was my fault. I knew Melody before all this happened and I had no idea she was a werewolf hater. I should known and protected her better.

My knees gave way but I never met the floor. Two strong arms were holding up. I looked over to see Ben. That made things worse and I lost it. I gripped his arms with a force that would have broken any normal man's. He had been my rock this week and disappearing on him hadn't been the right thing to do.

"Take her upstairs, Ben." Mercy said softly.

"No." I stuttered. I finally found the strength to shove him away. "No."

"You're losing control."

I took a deep breath and shuddered. This wasn't easy. I should have just gone home and went straight to bed. I started for the door but was blocked by Ben. "Move." It must have been the command in my voice that made him move. I started for the door once more.

"Don't move." This time it was Adam. I froze but my body shook. He stepped in front of me and looked me in the eye. "What's bothering you?" I set my jaw and refused to answer. "We could do this one or two ways. It's your choice." I felt the look of the rest of the pack as they ventured into the kitchen.

I felt Ben at my back, arms circling around my waist for comfort and support. Even after I pushed him away, he still came back. I sank back into him. He pressed his mouth to my ear and murmured something.

"Jesse." I said hoarsely.

Adam's eyes widened fractionally but nothing else changed. "What about Jesse?"

"It's my fault she got hurt. I should have known Melody was a little on the insane side and wouldn't have cared if she killed a human child of a werewolf." I was still shaking but Ben's arms and body kept that from showing the others, although they could smell it.

Mercy moved into my line of sight. "It's not your fault. None of us knew that the police force would allow someone like that on their task force as a sniper."

I shook my head and leaned back against Ben. "Let me go." He did and I turned and brushed past Warren and Darryl on my way out.

I was running across the yard as soon as my feet hit dirt. I had to get away from the pack. I didn't care that I had left my car. I shouldn't have gone back in the first place. I knew it was a bad idea but I did it anyway.

By the time I realized it, I had left Finley and was standing on the bridge between Kennewick and Pasco. I stopped right in the middle and looked out over the water. While I had been gone, it hadn't rained. Now the storm clouds were rolling in. It was going to start raining in the next few minutes but I didn't care.

I crossed over into Pasco and found a spot out on the bank to watch the water. I used to do this back home. The Rhine would flood many times during the year so I needed the memory of my home. I was hurting and I didn't know why. I guess I should have stayed in my wolf form.

I finally realized it was raining when it thundered. I looked at the clock on my phone. It was seven thirty. I had been gone for three days exactly. Running out of Adam's hadn't been such a good idea but at the moment I didn't care. My heart hurt with the fact that I could have prevented Jesse's attack by checking out Melody in college.

I walked home, well aware that my jeans were soaked through and extremely uncomfortable. I put up with the discomfort until I got home. My car was in the drive when I walked up. Ben must have driven it home for me since I left the keys in the glove box. Sam's car was gone. Either he had to work or he had been called out.

I shed my clothes on the front porch because they were soaking wet. I walked into the house naked and didn't give a rip that Ben was sitting on the couch. I went by him without a word, going straight for a hot shower to get rid of the cold chill. When the water was piping hot, I stepped in.

I sat down on the shower stall and let the water fall over me. My skin was cold for being a werewolf and it hurt when the heat hit it. After a few moments, the bathroom door opened and closed. So did the shower curtain. I looked up at Ben. He held his hands out for me to take. When I did, he pulled me to my feet and against him. His body heat suddenly warmed me as we stood under the spray.

My chest ached with the force of holding everything back. I cried on his shoulder. I didn't want to but once it started it was hard to stop. He just held me and let me do what I had to do. I knocked his chin with my head on accident. I finally turned my head and let him kiss me. It helped a little bit but not much. I knew what I wanted but he wasn't ready so I broke away.

He turned me around and after a moment, I felt suds being moved around on my back. It felt good and the knots around my neck and shoulders began to loosen. He tilted my head back and began to massage shampoo into my hair and scalp. It felt good to have someone taking care of me. I never had that before.

When he was done, he turned off the water and reached for the towel I had thrown over the shower rod. He threw it over my head and tightened it enough to the point where I laughed. He was smiling when he pulled it off and began rubbing me down. I whined when he stopped. It had felt good.

He picked me up and carried me to the bedroom. I didn't feel like putting any clothes on and apparently he didn't either. As I nestled in the covers, he dried himself off the towel then climbed in the bed. I rolled to him instinctively and let his body heat flood me. I'd rather sleep like this with him every night than never sleep with him again. He was pressing kisses to my hair every few seconds as he whispered something in that accent I found so sexy.

I finally tilted my head back to look at him. He canted his head to look down at me. We stared at each other for a few moments before I nestled back under his chin. I nudged his knees apart so I could fit one of mine there. He laughed a little at me.

"You feeling better?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. I don't know what happened."

"From what I could tell, it was a panic attack or something close to it. I've never seen you cry before. It was kind of shocking."

"It was a shock to me as well." I rubbed my nose in his chest, inhaling his scent in the process.

"Mercy was right. It wasn't your fault that Jesse got hurt." I started to protest but he shook his head. "There was no way you could have known that Melody hated werewolves because she had been overseas. You hadn't seen her for six years. There was no way you could have known."

I nuzzled his chest once again then rested my cheek against his heart. It beat in rhythm like it should. I shifted until I had turned over so I couldn't see his face. He kept his arms around me. Even as he fell asleep I knew he had my back. The only problem was I didn't think I believe him anymore than I did Adam. It didn't matter to them not the Melody was in custody but it mattered to me. We had been close in college and I liked to think I knew people I had stayed with for longer than a month. Not knowing that she hated werewolves meant I knew nothing.

With a soft whine, I buried my nose in Ben's arm and tried to get some sleep.

Emphasis on the tried.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note:** Kaden has authority problems so her attitude towards Adam is getting a little rough the longer she goes on unmated to Ben. That will all be explained in this chapter. I just thought I'd let you know if you were thinking a wolf shouldn't do that to its Alpha.

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I wasn't allowed off the property.

Do you know how pissed off I was when Adam told me that?

I thought about destroying his dojo when I went to use it that morning after I'd been told I wasn't allowed to leave but then I'd have to clean it up. I also thought about hiding but there were wolves walking around both properties. Hiding in plain sight was probably my best option. I knew how to do it well since that's how I'd lived before joining the pack, moving from place to place to keep from being found.

Adam had the best video games I've ever seen and I was mad enough to kill zombies. After raiding the kitchen for his secret stash of cookies and chips, I took my goodies into the media room and locked the door. Getting a good look at the selection, I chose Modern Warfare 2. Instead of killing zombies I was going to kill enemy soldiers while pretending every one of them was Adam.

I ate and played video games all day long, getting rowdy while playing a couple of guys on X-box Live. They didn't think they could be beaten by a girl. A couple of the wolves who had taken the day off on Adam's command ventured in even after I had locked the blasted door. Of course Adam had spare keys. I hurried them in and told them to hold on to the keys after the locked the door back.

We got into a heated battle on the screen. The wolves, whose names were Alex and Parker, yelled as much as I did. Alex ventured into the kitchen for more snacks when we ran out. We were sprawled out in the floor with the remnants of cookies and chips and cans and bottles when Adam's car pulled up.

"Stay where you are. He said you had to make sure I didn't leave. He never said you weren't allowed to play video games with me." I said as I kept my gaze on the television.

They shrugged and sank back down to finish the game. When the lock clicked and the door opened, I felt Adam and Sam behind him. I refused to look at them as the other two stood, making certain to keep their heads down and eyes averted from Adam. I paused the game when Sam nudged me with his toes and rolled over. Adam wasn't mad, but his face was set in a deadpan that I made me want to laugh.

Then I remembered I was mad at him.

I jumped to my feet and began cleaning the mess I made, although I really wanted to make him clean it up. I took the trash to the garbage and went to turn off the system and television. I was halfway to the front door when Adam finally spoke.

"Where are you going?" he asked. I turned to find him leaning in the foyer doorway. It would have looked nonchalant if I didn't know him better.

I tugged the zipper up and looked at him squarely, too mad at him to be afraid of him. "I'm going to get tacos." I love tacos and had suddenly gotten a craving for them.

A hand caught my shoulder and wheeled me around before I could take two steps out the door. "No, you're not."

I rose on my tiptoes and got in his face, a stupid thing to do, I know, but I was that angry. "Wanna bet?"

His nostrils flared as he clenched his teeth together. He may be my Alpha but I was backing down, even if it was dangerous. I was restless and I needed to do something. He already messed with my job, meaning I didn't have one anymore. He told them I wouldn't be returning. That stuck in my craw more than him keeping me locked up. Well, granted I had had a nervous breakdown but I wasn't a child.

"I'll go with her." Warren volunteered, only to keep the peace.

"I don't need a damned babysitter." I replied hotly. He shrunk back a little but it was a lie. He just hated someone being mad at him. I made an unhappy noise as I switched directions and headed for the back door.

"Now where are you going?" Sam asked.

"I'm going home since the Great One has a stick up his ass." I let the door slam as I walked out.

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I was rearranging my bedroom when Ben ventured in. He leaned against the doorframe and simply watched as I tugged the mattress across the room. When I get mad, I change things. It's like when I get mad, my mouth gets sharp and I can't curb the words that come out. My brothers used to say I had no filter.

I flung the sheets towards the door, completely forgetting Ben was standing there in my rampage. He threw them back at me, hitting me in the back of the head. I whirled on him to find his quirky grin. That only made me angrier and I threw his clothes that I hadn't gotten around to putting up at him. He guarded his face from a pair of stray jeans and just laughed. The front door opened.

"Is she in there?" I heard Sam ask.

Ben turned his head over his shoulder. "Yeah, but you don't want to come in here."

Sam made an unhappy noise. "Is she rearranging her room again?"

The Brit laughed. "Yeah. It's quite entertaining."

"Would the two of you shut up? I'm tired of people acting like I'm not around." I replied.

"I just came to warn you that Adam's on his way over." Sam told me.

"No need. I'm going out after this."

"He'll skin you."

"I don't care. I'm tired of being here and need to get out. If he wants to talk to me, he can come to Howard Amon Park." I brushed past the guys and went to my car. As I was driving away, I saw Adam coming across the field with Darryl at his back.

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I grew up around nature so any time I got to go to a park I was happy. My first time at Howard Amon Park was when the music festival was going on. I hadn't been drawn by the music as much as the scene. It was peaceful to my restless spirit and I needed peaceful.

When I arrived, I shed my clothes and forced the Change. It wouldn't do if I couldn't run around in my other form. Lately, I had been spending a lot more time as a wolf than as a human and frankly I preferred that. I couldn't argue with anyone and could growl if I got annoyed, not to mention it kept me calm.

When wolves get to be my age, they get to be a little funny. Some of them lock themselves away from all humanity and even other wolves. Some get very angry until the point where they want to die. Some like Sam and myself decide it's easier to live outside the pack rather than in it. Even though I was a member of the pack, I still lived outside of it. I followed orders (mostly) and I didn't cause too much trouble. Well, I hadn't until recently. Now, I felt that I should just back out gracefully and form a mini pack with Sam. It still counted because Sam would be my Alpha but I didn't think the Marrok would go for it. Not like I cared.

I was lying under a bush when I heard and smelled Adam tramping this way. I should have hidden my scent but I really didn't care if he found me or not. There was no way I was talking to him anyway so he could come find me all he wanted. The other scent told me Sam was with him and Darryl. I growled when they came too close to where I was lying.

They stopped and sat down, Darryl behind and to Adam's right and Sam to his left. I stared at them from under my bush and waited. I was not happy that they had found me but I had done enough by growling at him. Adam sat very still as he looked down his nose at me. He was as unhappy as I was. I had a reason to be unhappy. He didn't. Okay, well, I guess he did.

"I told you not to leave mine or your property." He started out. I snorted. I didn't like that very much. "Yet you did. Do you like disobeying me?"

I turned my head away and tucked it under my foreleg. My telepathy was being iffy today so I couldn't talk. I let body language do that for me.

"I get you'd be mad at me for getting you fired from your job and I get that you'd hate being cooped up at home, but I did it for your own good." I cracked one eye at him to show him I was annoyed at the fact that he got me fired but I closed it again when he continued talking. "I only want what's best for my pack and you are a part of that."

"Adam," Sam's voice was a soft caress against the rough voice Adam had been using. "Have you not understood what my father has been saying about older wolves?" Adam turned his head to listen but didn't say a word. "She's old; older than all of us. She's lived over twelve hundred years without a mate and has survived. Her will is strong but it is weakening as the days go by. It's understandable that she gets angry at you. No Alpha has ever told her what to do. What's also affecting her is that her mate has been chosen but there hasn't been anything done to set them together for the rest of their lives."

Adam's attention was drawn to me as I stood, shook my fur of the brambles I had gotten tangled in, turned three times and laid back down. I wasn't interested in this conversation that they were going to have as I laid here.

"Ben can sense it, Adam. The nervous breakdown, the blaming herself for Jesse's shooting, the running away; it's all her wolf getting ready for its final days. If you don't do the mating ceremony soon, she will die."

The thought of dying hit me hard. Werewolves live very long lives, I can attest to that, but I had no idea that my sudden mood swings were that my wolf was getting ready to die. Adam and I shared the same look as the news sunk in. I whined unhappily. This was not happening. Not only had my life changed in the year I'd been here, in such a short amount of time, I had found someone who was not only my mate in wolf form but also in my human. The thought of leaving him made me very unhappy.

I stood and went to my clothes that were buried under another bush. I grabbed them in my mouth and backed out. Turning, I trotted over to Sam and dropped them in his lap. Then I took off at top speed back to the house. Ben would undoubtedly be there cleaning up the mess I had made in the bedroom.

I rarely ran wild through the streets, but when I did, there was a good reason. This was a very good reason. Since I had never grown up in a pack, I never understood what it meant to get older. While living in Shreveport, my brother had been my rock. He had kept the wolf at bay. So had another werewolf I was friends with. When I moved here, it was Adam for the most part. But now, not even the Alpha's power had the ability. It was getting down to the wire. Now I understood what Bran had gone through.

Knowing Sam would head to Adam's house for a bit gave me comfort. As I neared the house, I started changing back. It was severely painful considering I was still on the run. I had always been able to change on the fly. I never knew if it had to do with being old or being that good but I was able to do it with the least amount of pain.

I was fully human by the time I hit the porch. I was a sweaty human but I was human nonetheless. I opened the door and entered the house. Ben was on the couch when I came in and stood. He didn't have time to look me over as I crossed the distance between us and pressed against him, my mouth searching for his. He was too surprised to argue, but then need took over and he wrapped his arms around me. My hands busied themselves getting rid of his clothes as he backtracked to my room.

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A few nights later, on the night of the full moon, a ceremony took place that bonded one wolf to another. Adam performed the ceremony with a smile in his human form. The two who he bonded would be married in the human way the next day but he was taking in the wolf way happily.

After the ceremony was done and the Alpha had changed into his regal wolf form, the pack went out on a joint hunt.


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note:** I had a great idea for this chapter. It's a little humorous because I wanted something funny to write. So I hope you enjoy it.

The latter part of the chapter has a sad theme to it and you learn quite a bit. Warning! I made this up so this is not the truth. It's what I think happened.

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Ben and I stood in the foyer of Adam's house. It was a week after our makeshift wedding. When I say makeshift, I mean we went to the justice of the peace and got married in front of him with just Mercy and Adam there as witnesses. We didn't want too many people around because the mating bond had been showed to the entire pack. This was our little moment. Adam had given us time to disappear for a few days just to be newlyweds.

We had to return because Ben had to get back to work. Adam had called us over to his house after we returned to the trailer. We had no clue what he wanted but we went anyway. I would have protested but Ben said we had to go and I had to follow him because he was my mate and I took my place in the pack with him.

When walked in, everyone in the pack was already there. Mercy and Honey had planned a wedding shower for us. We had gotten married the day after the full moon and disappeared that night. There had not been a time to have a wedding shower or bachelor/bachelorette parties. Ben and I looked at each other in amusement. We weren't getting out of this unscathed.

The women, all the women, dragged me away from Ben as the men dragged him to the media room. There were gifts all over the place. These gifts, I had a distinct feeling, were for the bachelorette party that should have happened before the wedding. Even if we had planned this in advance, I wouldn't have had done it any other way. It was more fun the other way.

The gifts were radical and we all laughed at some of the craziness. My favorite was cherry flavored condoms. They wouldn't get used but they were funny. It was a gag gift and we all knew it but we had fun with it. I watched the girls' faces as a sudden idea came to mind and it showed on my face.

I snagged the box of condoms and ripped into it. I took one and shoved it into my pocket as I ran towards the dojo. Adam kept a basketball pump in the storage because he had a basketball goal outside, like most guys. I grabbed it and a small needle. As I came back up the stairs the girls were waiting on me. I opened the condom package and pulled it out. I attached the needle to the pump before I unrolled the latex. I have a habit of sticking my tongue out of the side of my mouth when I was doing something, which is what I did. When I got the condom unrolled, I took a rubber band and inserted the needle into the opening.

"That brings back so many memories." One woman said, although I didn't know which. It caused all of us to laugh.

I held my finger up to my mouth as I walked to the media room door. I knew it would be locked so I got down on my belly and stuck the condom under the door until the end of the pump was sticking out. I had to hold my breath to keep from laughing as the girls behind me snickered. Slowly I began pumping air into the condom. I didn't care what happened; this was funny.

A few seconds later we heard a loud pop in the media room. They howled in laughter as they heard the men shout very loudly. I buried my head in my arm as I heard them all look for the cause of the noise. The door unlocked and flew open. I looked up as I held back my laughter. Adam looked down his nose at me, completely unhappy. I could hear the girls snorting as they tried to hide their laughter from the Alpha. I wasn't so lucky. When I'm having fun….I shoot my mouth off.

"You guys should know better than to leave a group of women left alone together." I said.

His jaw quirked as he tried not to laugh. I could see the other men looking down at me as well. I saw Ben just over his shoulder. "How so?"

"Well, when you leave us with toys to play with, you should know we're going to be sneaky."

"That wasn't sneaky. That was just wrong."

"Just because it made you happy doesn't mean you should take it out on all of us."

The girls behind me finally lost it. They started laughing even harder when Adam aimed from my belly. I rolled out of the way and took off through the house, Adam, Ben and Warren directly behind me. It was now December, December 15th actually, making it ten days before Christmas. It was snowing. I leapt off the front porch, rolling to ease the pain in my feet when I landed. After a few moments, a huge snowball fight started. I had never seen the pack act like this.

I looked up at the sky as the snow fell. I had lived in the south since I moved here. I had never seen it snow. This was something extraordinary. I smiled happily until one fell on my nose. It melted instantly because of my body heat, sending the water dripping off it.

I was nearly knocked off my feet as two arms and a strong body came around me and collided into mine. I looked over my shoulder at Ben. He smiled and pressed a kiss to the side of my head. We still hadn't sorted through everything but we had the rest of our lives to do that. At the moment we were having a severe party with the Alpha in the middle of it.

We were having so much fun with a game of snow football we didn't notice the car pull up in the drive way. I caught the ball and was going for the end zone when Darryl tried to catch me. Instead he lost his footing and the two of us went tumbling in the snow. I landed hard on someone's shoes. Squinting as I rubbed my head, I looked up. I knew who that man was without Darryl surging to his knees with his head canted.

It was Bran Cornick, Marrok of the North American werewolves.

"Bran?" Mercy said. She erupted into smiles as she came forward. I tried to ease my throbbing head as I got to my feet. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard there were a mating last week and then a quick wedding the day after. Who is the lucky couple?" Bran asked. Ben wrapped his arms around my shoulders from behind and leaned his head against mine. That subtle movement had the Marrok looking at us. "You? You were the two who got married?"

"Ironic, huh?" Adam asked. He stopped beside us and ruffled Ben's hair. "It doesn't seem like Ben should be lucky enough to have this woman."

"She's lucky I'd take her." Ben joked as he tried to get away from his Alpha's hand. I elbowed him in the gut.

Bran smiled at me. "It seems like you've taken your place."

I couldn't help but smile in return. "Yes, sir, I have. It's at the bottom of the pack, but that's where I was anyway."

"You've come a long way from the lone wolf I understood you to be."

"A lot can change a person."

"Yes, and I must insist that you tell me everything you've done and seen in all your years." Something must have shown on my face because his eagerness fell away. I rarely talked about my past because it was riddled with war, pain and loss. He nodded when he understood that. "We will discuss it at your convenience." I nodded my thanks. "Well, shall we celebrate?"

We all ventured back into the house for hot chocolate and stories.

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That night, Sam was at work since his hours had been changed again. Ben and I were wrapped in blankets in our bed in our bedroom. It had been a lovely afternoon with the pack and their wives, not to mention the sudden showing of Bran. After everyone had left and Bran was given a room at the Hauptmans, we had gone home and done what newlyweds usually do.

I nestled my head in the crook of Ben's neck as we settled in. I honestly never thought I'd ever find my match and yet here he was with me. I lifted his left had to put it beside mine in the air. Normally people would wear wedding bands made out of silver or gold. We had bypassed that little tidbit and went with tattoos. They wouldn't show up in our wolf forms but they were to keep us from forgetting we were wearing wedding bands on the full moon.

Ben sighed and nuzzled my head. He was still speechless and that made me happy. I rolled over to look down at him. His eyes were half-lidded as he looked at me. I traced lazy circles in his skin.

"What's on your mind?" he asked in a heavily British accent that made my skin sizzle.

"Children." I replied. "Having Bran and Sam in the same room made me realize I have been missing out. I was raised by a vampire and he was like my father. He made me realize that I'd want kids. I was prepared to raise them on my own but now that you're here, you can help me." He had stilled under me, his arm dropping on my back. I sighed and dropped my chin to my fist resting on his chest. "You're not like your family, Ben."

He used his other hand to cover his eyes. "I just don't know, Kaden."

"Ben, I can't have your child. This you know, but nothing's stopping us from adopting children. I'd rather give an orphan a home instead of leaving him or her alone in a home that doesn't love them. Besides, you're not your parents or whoever abused you."

He shoved me away and got up. I knew he wanted children; I could feel it when his heart fluttered and his eyes lit up. He was scared that he would be like the person who abused him. It was finally time to talk about it, whether he wanted to or not.

"Who abused you, Ben?" I asked quietly.

He was silent for a long while as he stared out the window I was afraid he was going to shrug it off. Then he ran a hand through his hair. "It was both my parents. My mother used to beat me on a daily basis and my father…." He swallowed hard. "My father used to molest me whenever he was drunk."

I closed my eyes but refused to move. If I went to him, he wouldn't talk anymore.

"I was only six when it started. I got in trouble for something I didn't do and my mother hit me so hard it left a bruise on my cheek. When my father came home, my mother told him. I was in bed when he first came up. At first I thought he was just going to yell at me for doing something stupid. Instead, he…" He started to hyperventilate but I remained where I was, trusting him to get through it. He did and continued. "Instead, he patted my stomach. Then his hand traveled lower until it was rubbing my…." I understood what he was trying to say. "Soon he was baring himself and telling me to touch him. I was six. What was I supposed to do?"

"There was really nothing ou could have done." I replied. My voice was thick with unshed tears.

"He did that night after night until finally he forced himself on me." His voice cracked. "It hurt so bad but he wouldn't listen to me. I begged him to leave me alone, but he didn't. This went on night after night for three years. Finally I was big enough to fight back, but…He was my dad. I didn't want to hit him."

"So you let him do as he wished."

Ben had been a child and children were supposed to look up to their parents. He had no clue he was being molested at that age. No child would. They would just think it was part of the parent/child bond. There was no way he could have fought back. It was his father.

He coughed to loosen the tears that collected in his throat. "I finally figured out what he was doing, but by that time it was too late. He was used to getting what he wanted. When I finally started fighting back for real, it got violent. When I'd fight back, he'd tie my….my….." He couldn't say the word.

"He would tie your member."

"Yeah, he would tie it until it turned purple. I thought I was going to lose it a couple of times he tied it so tight. Finally one night, he came for me but I was ready. I hit him with a bat and left the house." He swallowed once again. "My parents were arrested for child abuse and I was sent to a home where I lived until I could go out into the world. When I was twenty-five, I was Changed." He turned to look at me. "Now you know my dark secret. It's one of the reasons I hated women for so long."

I nodded as I sniffled. "Not only did your mother abuse you, but she didn't stop the abuse from your father."

"Yeah.' He rubbed at his nose with the back of his hand. "I know why I'm crying but why are you?"

"It's such a bad story. No one should have a childhood like that." I lowered my head as I looked at my folded hands.

I heard him cross the room. His hand lifted my chin to look at him. He looked me deep in the eyes. Obviously he found what he was looking for because he jerked me up into a hug. "No one's ever cried for me before."

"I can't help it."

I raised my head to look at him. Here he was broken before me, trusting me not to break his trust in me. His eyes held every bit of pain he had ever been through and yet they were begging me to take it away. I could take it away but it was up to him to keep it from taking over again. There was only so much I could do.

He brought his mouth down on mine and kissed me hard. I let him do as he wished. He needed this; I needed this; we needed this to survive.


	13. Chapter 13

"Ben told me what happened to him." I told Adam a few days later as we were flopped out on the floor of the dojo.

I had laid low after Bran had showed up. He promised me we would have a one on one discussion, which meant I was going to tell him how I flew under his radar. I didn't want to do that so I stayed away from Adam's while he was around.

Adam turned his head to look at me. I could tell he didn't even know what had happened to one of his wolves and it interested him. He didn't ask what he wanted to, although I saw it in his eyes. He looked back up at the ceiling then.

"Was it as bad as we all expected?" he asked.

"Worse." I refrained from saying anything more. I needed someone to talk to about this but I had promised I wouldn't. No, I didn't say it out loud to Ben, but I said it to myself and that was promise enough.

"Kaden," Adam's voice was a soft caress as he spoke to me it forced me to look at him. "You can't hide this. Ben won't talk about it but you can."

"No, I can't, Adam. I promised myself I wouldn't. That goes without saying that I need to keep that promise. If I told you, it would hurt Ben."

My chest hurt. I had never kept a secret this big before. My own secrets I could keep without anyone knowing about them but never someone else's. I rolled over on the mat and curled into a little ball. Adam was my and Ben's Alpha. All he wanted to do was help, but he couldn't if we didn't tell him. I didn't feel comfortable discussing this without Ben knowing and it had just been recently that he told me. Well, granted I had forced him to since I brought up the fact of children.

I heard Adam move next to me. Soon my body was flying through the air, but it didn't land in a heap on the floor. Instead, it was crushed against a hard, warm body; Adam's body to be exact. Normally I would have pushed him away but at the moment I didn't have the strength. He was my Alpha so I didn't fight him.

We sat like that for a good long while. I completely forgot how long it was because my heart was pounding too hard to care. I heard the door open to the garage but didn't pay any attention. When I looked up again, Mercy and Warren were standing over us. She didn't look mad; actually, she looked understanding. Warren looked confused but that was normal in these situations.

When I tugged, Adam let me up. I paced away from them and leaned against the punching bag we had left swinging when we passed out on the floor. This was going to eat me alive. I cocked my fist and let the punching bag have it. Sand poured out of it a few seconds later. I stared at it as Adam made a noise.

"If we keep beating that bag up with the ferocity we have been, we're going to go through enough punching bags that the martial arts company I by them from will be in business for the rest of their lives." He said. It was meant to make me laugh but I didn't feel very funny today.

I heard Ben's truck pull up and cringed. He was going to know something was up when he came down here. He knew I'd be here since I didn't have job at the moment. Jesse was still out of school for Christmas break and Adam had taken time off the spend time with her. It gave me time to come over and work out with him.

We were quiet as he came into the garage. He was all smiles until he took in the situation in the room. His face fell as he hit the bottom of the stairs.

"Did you tell them?" he asked.

"No, she didn't. All she said was that you told her." Adam replied. "Ben, all this is hurting her. I don't know what the two of you talked about but since you confided in her, it's hurting her. I'm not asking her to break your mating bond, but look at her and tell me what you see."

There was enough push in his voice to make him look at me. I couldn't meet his gaze, but that was enough for him. He came over to me and held me in his arms, murmuring something only for me to hear. I nodded at what he told me and moved back up the stairs. Shortly, Mercy and Warren were joining me in the kitchen.

I watched as Mercy rummaged in the cabinet for something and Warren heated what could only be milk. I whined unhappily. This was not how I wanted my life to go. The mate was okay but I didn't think it would be this hard getting him to tell me what had happened in his past. I knew it was bad enough to want to shove in the back of your mind and forget it. I wish I hadn't forced him to tell me.

Mercy set a mug in front of me but I wasn't too thrilled to have a mug of hot chocolate in front of me. I shoved it away and laid my head down on the counter. I wasn't too happy that this had happened.

The door opened what seemed like seconds later but it was only twenty minutes. Ben had been crying once again but he rubbed his face to keep it from showing. I looked at Adam. He nodded. Ben had told him what had happened, even though I was pretty certain he already knew. My heart thundered in my ears as Ben looked at me. I couldn't look at him so I turned my back.

"Excuse us." He murmured. He took me under the elbow and led me out on the deck. He stopped by the grill and dropped his hand. I waited. Finally, he spoke. "I'm not mad at you."

I sighed. "Ben, I…"

He waved a hand at me while the other covered his eyes. "Don't. it's not your fault. I should have been more forthcoming with my past to Adam. I haven't been a werewolf very long, not as long as anyone else, so I don't always know when to talk about my past, but I'm learning." I remained quiet until he turned around. "Adam says hiding all this is hurting you. I never asked you to hide it."

"I know." I whispered.

"Then why did you do it?"

"It was your past to tell, not mine. It wouldn't be right if I brought it up."

He understood. "You made a promise to yourself." He laughed when I didn't reply. After his laughter died down, we stood in silence for a few moments. I watched him as he came over and framed my face. "Why Can't I be mad at you?" I smiled and closed my eyes. His next statement threw me off. "I talked to Adam about wanting children.

I stopped breathing for a second. Finding my second wind, I looked up into his eyes. I knew mine were slightly wary. "What did he say?"

He ran his fingers through my hair. "He's okay with it, after I talk to a professional therapist. He wasn't trying to be mean but he basically said we're both screwed up."

This time I laughed. "That we are." I leaned into him, forcing his arms to go around me. "What are we going to do, Ben?"

His hands spanned my back then went to my shoulders. "We'll figure it out. After I finish my therapy, we can talk more. I know it's none of his business if we have children, but Adam is our Alpha so we have to listen to him."

"Yeah."

He smiled into my hair. "Should we go inside?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I got to tell Adam thank you for being stupid yet smart."

He put his hand on my back as we walked back into the house. The others had moved into the formal living room where they couldn't hear anything we said. I knew Adam was making sure no one disturbed us but then again he knew when we came back in because he came into the kitchen, hitching a hip on the counter nearest the door coming from the foyer. I looked back at Ben. He smiled and nodded once. I crossed the kitchen to Adam, throwing my arm around him tightly. He was shocked for a moment but then his arms went around me.

"Thanks, Adam." I said quietly into his neck because that was as far as I could reach.

The hot air that came from his snort blew my hair from my ear. "No problem." I stepped back as he looked over my head at Ben. "Remember what I said."

He nodded. "I got it, Boss. Don't worry about it."

I wanted to know what they had talked about but at the moment it was time for Ben to head out. Tonight he had something going on at work that he couldn't miss and I wasn't going to make him. Asking Adam would have been bad too because he was as tight lipped about people's personal business as I was.

Ben came towards me, placing a kiss on my head as he walked by. I watched as he walked away and then heard the door close behind him. Adam tugged me into the living room to watch something Jesse was watching. She had come in while ben and I were on the deck. She looked up at me and smiled before looking back down at the TV. I settled between Warren and the end of the couch for the rest of the movie


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's** **Note:** Finally it's the end! I've been working on a lot of different stories so I could let this one finish itself in my head. Finally, it's the time for me to put an end to this madness as I try to finish all my stories!

I made Ben take Kaden's last name since we don't know his name.

(%)(%)(%)(%)(%)(%)(%)

Ben, Mercy, Warren and I stood in the hospital looking through the window in the nursery with our noses pressed against it. It had been a year and Ben was done with his therapy. He had opened up to the entire pack about what had happened to him as a kid. The pack had been very supportive of him and had even helped when they told them their decision.

Adam had given us the okay and we began looking for a bigger house. Well, actually the computer room was converted into a nursery. Sam had built a crib from scratch and put it in the room as we began looking at adoption agencies.

We didn't have to look very far. Warren and I had started a private investigation agency of our own. We worked through Warren's boyfriend Kyle so it was easier. A teenage girl had walked through our doors one Monday morning. She had been at least eight months pregnant, if not nine, and she had been looking for her boyfriend who had disappeared three weeks earlier. We had volunteered to help her. Three days into the investigation, a report came in of a guy being found in his car. He had had a seizure and ran off the road into a tree. He was killed instantly but no one had found him for a while. When we took the news back to the girl, she had been devastated. The boy had been the father of her baby and they had been excited.

That night when I went home, I had broken down to see the girl so torn up. Warren had had to drive me and that meant he and Kyle were sitting on the couch with me when Ben drove in. The other two men kindly left the house so my husband could see to me. He hadn't known what was going on and he didn't need to. He knew enough about me to understand that if I was upset about something and crying it must have been bad. We sat on our couch for a long time; him brushing my hair as I lay in his lap.

A few weeks later, the girl came in with her mother and asked to talk to me. She said she had seen the adoption papers on my desk when she had come in. She said now that her boyfriend was dead she didn't want to raise her baby alone. She had asked me if Ben and I would be interested in adopting her baby. By the time I had processed what was going on, Ben had been called by Warren and was striding into the office with a goofy, boyish grin on his face. We had sat down with the mother and the daughter and talked it all over, making sure the girl was certain about this. She was and the next day we had gone to the adoption agency and made it legal.

The last couple of weeks had been a blur. The due date had been so close after we signed all the paperwork we barely had time to get all the stuff we needed for a baby. Luckily the pack began supplying us with bottles, a changing table, a rocker, diapers, formula, and the works. We had the computer room full of stuff. We had to tell the women to wait for a baby shower since we didn't know the sex of the baby. That hadn't gone well but they finally agreed.

Then last night, we had gotten the call at four thirty in the morning that she had gone into labor. We were up and at the hospital in minutes. We had had to wait in the waiting room until the baby had been born and that gave us time to call everyone. I called Warren while Ben called Adam. Apparently both men were super excited and wanted to come immediately. I didn't get a chance to tell him no because he hung up on me. Ben had better look with Adam and assured our Alpha that we would call him when the baby was born.

Warren strode through the doors just as we found out what we were having. He made a beeline for us when he saw us hugging each other with huge smiles on our faces. A few hours later, Adam and Mercy strode in with Jesse with them. The teenager began bouncing up and down for information but we were strictly tightlipped.

After a few hours, the girl was released from the hospital. She smiled at us when we walked over to her. She hugged us both and thanked us for helping her. Her mother was grateful as well. We were grateful they had been willing to part with their child and grandchild.

When it was finally quiet, the nurse came to us and said we could go in the nursery. I was so nervous that I could barely make it to the door. Ben had to help me into the room. The nurse walked over to a bassinet and picked up the baby. She held the bundled, pink infant to me. Afraid I would fall, I went to the chair and began to rock.

"We need a name to put on the birth certificate," she said.

Ben looked at me. "Kaden, what are we going to call him?"

I smiled down at my son as I held him in my arms for the first time. The perfect name came to mind. "Rowan Alexander Northman."

"We're using your last name?" He was mad, just amused.

"You use it. We might as well."

He nodded at the nurse. "Rowan Alexander Northman is his name. We're his parents, Ben and Kaden Northman." He turned back to me. "Eric isn't going to be happy to know I changed my name."

"He'll get over it." After we had signed all the papers and were given a checklist to go through with an infant, we were allowed to leave. Ben held the door open for me as we walked to our car. When Rowan was strapped in his seat and settled, I climbed in the backseat and watched him sleep. "He's so little."

"Babies always are," he replied. He looked at me in the rearview mirror. "Are you ready to show him off to the world?"

I sighed. Even though I wanted to hog my son for myself, I couldn't. He was now part of this world and this family. This big, long, extended family. "I guess. Let's get his over with so I can hog him again."

With a laugh he pulled onto the freeway and headed home so we could go show our son off to our family.

END


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